The Bell It Tolls For Thee: The Second Life of Matt Donovan
by jazzywazzy08
Summary: Matt Donovan has always wondered about his place in the world of the supernatural, when trauma and a near death experience awakens something dark inside of him he finds that place with the help of one Bonnie Bennett…
1. Part One: Awakening

**Title:** The Bell It Tolls For Thee: The Second Life of Matt Donovan

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** Matt Donavon has always wondered about his place in the world of the supernatural, when trauma and a near death experience awakens something dark inside of him he finds that place with the help of one Bonnie Bennett…

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural

 **Pairings:** Bonnie/Matt, Tyler/Caroline, Jeremy/Anna, Kelly/Klaus, Elijah/Katherine, Stefan/Elena, etc.

 **Warnings:** Violence, Language, Mild-Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

 _ **Author's Note: This is a repost with some minor rewrites and edits. This takes places during and after 3x05. There M rating is for later chapters. Thanks to all of those who supported me during my rough patch. Please do not pm me regarding updates on any other fics or comment on any of my other fics in the reviews for story. Feedback is always welcomed. Thanks for reading.**_

 **Part One: Awakening**

Matt Donavan welcomed death. He welcomed the chill of the water. He welcomed the painful burning in his lungs. He welcomed the rushing sound of water echoing in his ears. He welcomed the darkness as he closed his eyes. When he could no longer feel anything he welcomed his sister's presence. Vicki was dead, and seeing her meant that he was dead too. He wouldn't have to be lonely anymore.

Slowly he remembered why he was there, what he had killed himself to accomplish. He asked Vicki about how to save Tyler because he knew he would have to go back, back to the loneliness, back to a life where his friends were becoming strangers, back to a house that he had to work to pay bills for, and back to seeing both of his ex-girlfriends happy with someone else. But he was going to live so that Tyler wouldn't die, he couldn't lose someone else, he had lost too much already.

He listened as Vicki told him that Elena would have to die. He wanted to hang on just a little longer. Tell her a proper goodbye. Tell her he missed her. Tell her that he was sorry that he hadn't been able to protect her. Something was already pulling him back. He began to start feeling things in bits and pieces. Hands on his chest. The softness of someone's lips over his own. The burning in his lungs return as he began to once again take in air. He barely had enough time to say goodbye to Vicki before he heard Bonnie's voice begging for him to wake up.

He was torn between clinging to the sound of Bonnie's voice telling him to come back and Vicki's voice telling him not to leave. In the end Vicki disappeared and Matt felt himself attempt to breathe through his mouth. He ended up coughing up water instead. The burning eased and slowly Matt opened his eyes and met Bonnie's green ones.

He had never realized how green her eyes were. She looked on the verge of tears. Her eyes were swimming with emotions; relief being the most palpable. A part of him had thought, before he had jumped into the pool, about what would happen if he didn't wake up. He had wondered if anyone would truly care if he were to die and the look in Bonnie's eyes gave him the answer to than question. Yes she would care. She couldn't take another loss either.

Their eyes stayed locked as she helped him to the seated position. She bit her lip as if she wanted to look away but she didn't, perhaps she couldn't. For the first time as Matt looked at Bonnie he realized that he may not have been as alone as he thought.

He wrapped his arms around Bonnie and though she was shaking she returned the embrace. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "It was the only way."

The only response that he got was the sound of Bonnie's sobs as she cried into his neck.

 **:::**

As Bonnie waited next to Matt's truck, she wondered if he had really taken her words into consideration. After the revelation that both Elena and Tyler would live she had been relieved though her relief was temporary.

She couldn't help but think about Matt. What if she hadn't gotten to him in time? What if she hadn't been as good at CPR as he thought? What if Matt had died?

She loved him the same as all of her friends but she had realized that Matt was painfully human. He wasn't a vampire like Caroline or Stefan. He wasn't a hybrid like Tyler now was. He didn't have a ring that would protect him from death by supernatural means like Jeremy or Alaric, and he didn't have people who would line up to protect him like Elena did. Even Bonnie had her powers. What did Matt have to protect him outside of the people who cared about him? Not enough to keep him alive when there was a creature of the non-human variety targeting the town they had all grew up in nearly every day.

Bonnie had meant what she had said. Matt had a choice, he could live a separate life. He could lead a normal life. He could lead a safe life. He was already separating himself from them, he could cut the cord that tied them to him completely and they could protect him from afar if anything should happen. Losing him after being his friend for so many years would hurt…but knowing that he was safe….

She was jolted from her thoughts as Matt appeared, walking toward her a small smile on his face. She returned his smile even as she shivered slightly, a chill running down her spine as the night air hit her. She was still slightly damp from the dive in the pool.

When Matt reached her he pulled a sweatshirt from behind his back. "It's kind of gross and smells like my sweat but it's warm and dry," he said.

"Warm is good," Bonnie said, "It's okay."

Matt reached around her and wrapped his sweatshirt around her shoulders tugging it slightly, and inadvertently pulling her closer to him. ""Thank you," he said still clutching the sweatshirt, "For being better than me at CPR."

Bonnie bit her lip and looked at him with those eyes again. He couldn't put into words how grateful he was to her. "You shouldn't have put so much faith in me," she said shaking her head, "Tonight never should've happened. It shouldn't have come to that. What if you had-"

"But I didn't," Matt cut her off, his tone gentle but serious as he to reassure her, "I'm fine. Thanks to you. You've saved all of us more times than I can count and probably more than I even know about. Besides Bonnie we're friends, we've always been friends. If I can't put my faith in you, who am I supposed to put it in?"

Bonnie studied him closely. "You can have a normal life if you want it Matt," she whispered, "I want that for you. Just think about what I said okay?"

Matt nodded. He let go of the sweatshirt and took a step away from Bonnie. "I'll think about it," he promised. It was the hope that he saw in hers eyes at the thought of at least one of them having a normal life that stopped Matt from telling her that when she had left him to go and wait outside he had seen Vicki, well that and the fact that no matter the reason he was able to see his sister, he didn't want to let her go.

Matt opened the door to the passenger's side of his truck and helped Bonnie inside. He closed the door behind her and then walked around to the driver's side and climbed inside. He pulled his keys out of his pocket, and spared a glance at Bonnie.

She was huddled up in the seat next to him, his sweatshirt wrapped tightly around her. She looked so small. No one could've guessed by looking at her how much power, inner strength, loyalty, and heroism she packed into such a small frame. The world may not know what she was capable of but Matt promised himself that he would never forget.

Starting up his truck, Matt pulled out of the school parking lot and headed in the direction of Bonnie's house.

The ride was silent but comfortably so. Each of them was grateful that they had all survived the night. Matt was right, his sweatshirt was warm, and so was his presence. Bonnie looked out the window at their town as he drove. After a night like tonight some would wonder why she bothered trying to protect the town if things like what had happened tonight kept happening anyway. But Bonnie was more determined to protect her town than ever. So whatever Klaus was planning once he created his army, she would be prepared for it, and even if she wasn't she would fight it.

As Matt pulled into Bonnie's driveway he realized as he looked at the dark empty home that Bonnie's father was out of town...again. In fact Matt couldn't remember the last time the man had been in town. He had known she would be alone of course but he felt guilty in that it was the first time in a very long time, probably since the arrival of the Salvatore brothers, that Matt had felt concern at the fact. If anything vampires in the town should have increased his concern not diminished it, even if Bonnie was a witch and was used to taking care of herself. Matt was used to taking care of himself but that didn't mean that he liked doing it all the time, or that he didn't want someone to show concern for his wellbeing every now and then. "You sure you'll be okay here by yourself?" Matt asked.

Bonnie didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the question. As nice as it was of him to show concern about her, it was a little late for it. Still she knew Matt meant well, he always meant well. "Its fine," she said, "I'm used to it." Matt frowned and Bonnie realized that she had said the wrong thing. "I'll be fine," she said firmly.

Matt reluctantly nodded. Bonnie moved to take his sweatshirt off and he shook his head. "Keep it," he said, "Even if I can't take comfort in the fact that you're not alone…at least I know you'll be warm."

Bonnie leaned across the space separating them and placed a kiss on Matt's cheek. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered.

"Me too," he said. Matt got out of the car abruptly and Bonnie blinked after him. She watched as he walked around the truck until he reached the passenger's side. He opened the door and held out his hand to help her out of the car.

Bonnie took Matt's hand and trembled slightly as she felt a slight surge of power buzzing under the surface of Matt's skin. She shook her head as Matt let go of her hand, it had been a long night, and she was obviously imagining things. "Good night, Bon," Matt said.

"Good night, Matt," she replied. Matt watched her make her way up the walk and then the porch steps. She found her keys and unlocked the door before turning and waving at him. Once she had gotten in safely Matt got back in his truck and watched as the lights went on inside. He didn't leave until they went out again.

 **:::**

 _Matt lay in his bed, his eyes were closed and he was unmoving. He didn't notice when the water started to leak in beneath his bedroom door, soaking his carpet. The water continued to rise and rise. Soaking through the pile of dirty clothes on his floor, and moving higher still until the water level reached higher than his neglected hand weights._

 _His door opened and the water rushed in faster and rose more quickly. Still Matt lay on his bed stiff as a board. Even as the water reached the bed where he laid, seeping into the sheets. The water grew higher and higher, covering Matt's sleeping form._

 _"Matt!" A frantic voice called out his name. He didn't move, "Matt, please!"_

 _His room was submerged in water and still Matt lay on the bed. Even as his lights went out and the room grew dark, the only movement that remained were the moderate amount of belongings that floated around in the aquarium that his room had become._

 _"Matt!" He recognized the voice this time. Bonnie. Suddenly she was there, swimming toward him, seemingly shrouded in light. She swam until she was hovering over his still form. Her small hands framed his face and she used him as leverage to pull herself forward and cover his mouth with her own._

 _Matt's eyes flew open and suddenly his nose and his lungs were filling with water. The pain was unbearable. The roaring in his ears deafening. He wanted to move but he seemed fused to the spot he was in. The burn and the ache were so great that he wanted to scream. As he opened his mouth he found that Bonnie's tongue slipped inside, and as he shared her air, finally he could breathe._

Matt woke up with a start, covered in sweat and gasping for air. He couldn't get enough air, he was still drowning, he was sure of it. Echoes of voices that he didn't recognize filled his ears and he held his head praying for them to stop even as they grew louder. He grabbed his pillow and used it to cover his head as the voices began to scream, he couldn't separate them, couldn't identify them. There were so many.

"Matt!" A voice cut through the noise and suddenly everything grew quiet, eerily so. Matt opened his eyes and found Bonnie standing at the foot of his bed.

Matt tossed his pillow onto his bed and ran a tired hand over his face. He blinked at Bonnie who already seemed to be dressed and ready for school. School…just the place Matt didn't want to be after what had happened the night before. He coughed looking away from her as he remembered the contents of his dream. "What are you doing here?" he asked, "How'd you get in?"

She didn't seem put off by his slightly rude greeting. Hesitantly, she walked around the bed and sat down next to him. "Caroline told me where you kept the spare key hidden so I kind of let myself in," she said guiltily.

Matt raised a brow at her. She had the good sense to look sheepish. He looked down at himself and realized that he was shirtless. He stood abruptly and walked over to his dresser as Bonnie coughed and looked away. He dug through his drawers until he found a t-shirt and pulled it over his head. "You still haven't told me why you're here," he said turning back to face her, "Not that I mind seeing you. I'm just surprised and well it's kind of early and you haven't really stopped by since that time we had to do that history project together in sophomore year so…"

Bonnie turned back to face him glad that he was now descent, not that she minded the view, Matt was her friend but that didn't mean she was blind. She picked up his disregarded pillow and chucked it at his head, shaking away her odd thoughts. She and Jeremy may have been having problems but they were still together. Besides Matt had already been involved with both Elena and Caroline, there was no reason that he needed to hit the trifecta. "I came to check on you, you jerk," Bonnie said laughing as Matt ducked away from the flying pillow, "I've been through the almost dying thing before…a lot….and well it takes a while to get over."

Matt picked up his pillow. "This is how you plan on comforting me?" he asked, "Throwing projectiles at my head?"

"Soft projectiles," Bonnie corrected, "That are practically harmless." Matt gave her a look before shaking his head and tossing the pillow back onto his bed. Sighing he walked over and sat down next to her. "Seriously," Bonnie said her eyes searching his face as if she thought he might break at any second, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Matt said turning away from her slightly. He was unable to hold her gaze under such intense scrutiny.

"Really?" Bonnie asked clearly skeptical, "Because from what I saw when I walked in you seemed to be having nightmares." Matt was silent. He didn't want to think about his dream or her role in it. "I'm sure it's just trauma and you'll be over in a few days but…I'm here if you need to talk." Matt nodded. Bonnie wasn't sure if he understood how serious she was. "What I'm trying to say …," she paused, taking a deep breath before she continued, "Is that you're not the only one who isn't okay, and if you wanted to be not okay together some time then…well that's okay."

Matt smiled at her. "If that meant what I think it meant," he said teasingly mocking her rambling, "Then thank you." Bonnie nodded punching him playfully in the shoulder. "But I'm fine," he said. Bonnie raised a brow at him. "I _will be_ fine," he corrected. Bonnie stood and Matt caught her by the wrist to stop her. She jumped slightly and looked at him her brow furrowed in confusion. The expression cleared from her face a moment later and she attempted to smile at him. "If I need to talk or anything I promise I'll call," he told her.

Bonnie's smile became more genuine. "Good," she said, "I have to go meet Elena and Caroline so…." Matt gave her a look that said, "Go ahead," and then looked sheepish as he realized that he was still holding on to her wrist. Slowly he let go. "Um…," Bonnie said staring at her hand where he had held it, "I made you breakfast. I just wanted to make sure you ate…I didn't ever want to eat much after something like that happen so I thought….and I didn't want…"

Matt stood and leaned forward, placing a small kiss in the middle Bonnie's forehead. She blushed slightly, wringing her hands. He had gotten so used to taking care of himself he had forgotten what it was like for someone to make him breakfast or be concerned about his eating habits. "Thanks, Bon," he said.

Bonnie smiled again. "You're welcome," she said, "I know what it's like to live in a big house all by yourself, with no one to turn to when something happens that turns your life inside out. It's not fun." She thought about her father who was always out of town and her mother who she could no longer remember.

"No," Matt said thinking of his wreck of a mother and wondering where she was for the millionth time since she had left again, "It's not."

"Anyway," Bonnie said seeing from the look on his face that she had dredged up old crap which was the last thing that she wanted to do, "I'd better go. See you at school."

"See you later," Matt nodded. Matt watched as she left and shut the door behind her. He wasn't surprised when as soon as the door clicked shut, he felt like he was drowning again.

 **:::**

Bonnie was avoiding Jeremy. If he'd asked her then she probably would have said differently but he was completely sure of it. And yeah he wasn't there for the whole drama that happened on senior prank night but he was pretty sure getting kidnapped by Damon and Katherine was completely out of his control. And yes, he had some unresolved feelings for both Anna and Vicki, mostly Anna, but that didn't mean that he didn't still want to be with Bonnie or that he didn't care about her. And okay, maybe the whole him seeing Anna and Vicki thing was kind of a shock but they would never get anywhere if she refused to talk about it. But as he stopped by her locker and attempted to talk to her, she didn't seem to understand that.

"Put yourself in my shoes…," she was saying but stopped mid-sentence as she looked over at something over Jeremy's shoulder and smiled.

Jeremy turned to see what she was looking at and frowned slightly when he saw Matt smiling back at Bonnie as he walked past. It wasn't that he didn't like Matt, in fact they were becoming pretty good friends recently, but he was acting as if Jeremy wasn't there.

Matt stopped on the other side of Bonnie, leaning against her locker, and didn't acknowledge Jeremy in any way other than giving a nod and a, "Hey Jeremy," before turning his attention back to Bonnie. Jeremy wasn't sure why this bothered him but it did.

"Thank you again for breakfast," Matt said looking down at Bonnie, "I was a little skeptical at first but you actually make a mean French toast. I may just have to have another near death experience so that you can cook for me again."

"That won't be necessary," Bonnie said uncomfortably, "Seriously." It was way too soon to make jokes about what had happened. She had been too close to death herself and had lost too many people for jokes about near death experiences to ever not be too soon. "I'll cook for you whenever you want," she promised before she realized how the comment might have sounded. She glanced at Jeremy and wasn't surprised to see he was scowling.

"Considering what I did to my kitchen the last time I attempted French toast," Matt said not noticing Jeremy's expression, "I think I'll hold you to that."

Bonnie laughed happy to see that Matt was doing slightly better from what she had seen that morning. She had been worried about him. When she had walked in on him waking from whatever dream he had been having he had looked as if he was about to have a nervous breakdown, that coupled with the faint tingle that she had felt when she had touched him, that if Bonnie didn't know any better she would've said felt like magic, had Bonnie on edge when it came to Matt.

Matt took a swig from the water bottle he had been drinking but it was larger than he thought and it clogged his throat in a way that reminded him of drowning. He choked spitting the water out onto the hall floor. The voices from that morning returned full force. The bottle of water fell from his hand and he clutched his head, he felt Bonnie's arms wrap around him. He focused on her, closed his eyes, and the voices stopped.

"Matt," her heard Bonnie's frantic voice say as his head cleared, "Are you okay? Matt?"

Matt stood upright. He nodded as Bonnie smoothed her hands down his arms. "Fine," he muttered, "I just need some air."

Bonnie looked down at the water that had spilled on the on the ground and then back at Matt. It had obviously triggered the incident from the night before. Things were affecting Matt more than he was letting on but there was not much that she could do if he wasn't willing to talk about it. Nodding in resignation she slowly let him go. Her hand lingered in his however as she met his eyes. "Okay," she whispered, "But if you need anything…"

"I know," Matt said offering her a weak smile, "I know." He gave Bonnie's hand a squeeze, taking his time letting of it. He kept skin to skin contact as long as he could as he backed away from her. She seemed to be reaching out to him as well. Knowing even if he wasn't telling her, that he was her only means of stability at the moment. Their fingers brushed against each other one last time before Matt turned and disappeared through the crowded hall.

Bonnie watched him go, the concern evident in her eyes. She stiffened as she felt Jeremy's hands on her shoulders. "What was that about?" Jeremy asked.

"Nothing," Bonnie said closing her locker, "Nothing at all." She stepped away from him and his hands fell to his sides. As she walked away without so much as a backward glance or a wave goodbye Jeremy knew that she was lying to him and he didn't like it, he didn't like it at all.

 **:::**

Matt sat in his truck glaring at his steering wheel. He needed to get the hell over this. First that freaky ass dream from that morning and now he couldn't even take a fucking drink of water without coughing up a lung. Then there were the voices. "What the hell is wrong with me?" He shouted at no one in particular.

"You should probably ask mom about that," a voice said from his passenger's seat.

Matt jumped hitting his head on the roof of the truck before turning to glare at his sister. "Vicki," he said, "Don't scare me like that." He rubbed the sore spot on his head

"Sorry," she said smiling slightly, "I couldn't exactly knock." She studied Matt smiling. She wished that she didn't have to do what she was about to do. But she wanted, no needed her life back. She couldn't take the loneliness and solitude that was the in-between. It was slowly driving her insane.

There were some things that Vicki liked about death, namely the knowledge that it gave her. She knew things that she hadn't known about in life, about the people she knew, about everything. When she had found out what had been in her family's blood she had been shocked. When she had died the first time, had she been brought back by more natural means instead of being turned into a vampire, she would've experienced what Matt was experiencing. The Lockwood curse was triggered by killing someone but the Donovan power was triggered by their own death; it awakened what lay dormant inside of them, opening their connection to the in-between. She would've rather been connected to the dead in the way that Matt was now instead in her own death. But she couldn't change the past; she could only ensure that she could have a future.

She wished that she could rely on Matt completely for help, but his powers were still awakening and the witch on the other side had told her that while he could open the door to bring Vicki back to the physical world he wasn't powerful enough yet to finish the job. No, to fully come back Vicki would have to do what the witch asked so that she would help her from the other side.

"I missed you," Matt said, "I didn't think you'd be back. I thought I imagined seeing you." Vicki wondered what Matt would think if he knew that things would only get worse in the whole seeing dead people department.

"Not your imagination," Vicki said, "I'm really here." She looked Matt in the eyes intently. "Matty," she said coyly, "What if there was a way that I could come back. Not just like this but…for real…if I could be alive again?"

Matt's eyes widened as he considered this. That was impossible though, wasn't it? Bonnie couldn't do that type of magic anymore and even if she could Matt would never ask that of her. He opened his mouth to tell Vicki as much when he heard a knock on the driver's side window. He turned and saw Tyler on the other side. He sighed. When he turned back he wasn't surprised to find that Vicki was gone.

 **:::**

Kelly Donovan flipped the sign hanging from the window of her shop from closed to open, unlocking the door. She walked over to the shelf full of astrology books and books that claimed to tell the secrets of the stars and began to stock it with the new shipment that she had just gotten in.

Kelly had been in Chicago for a year. It suited her. It had enough of a night life to sate her wild urges and was close enough to Mystic Falls that she didn't feel as if she had completely abandon her son.

She had opened her shop six months ago, right after celebrating three months of being sober. The Seeing Eye, she called it. She told fortunes, mostly foreseeing deaths, and sold books and trinkets that those who believed in her gift ate up as much as they ate up her visions.

The irony hadn't escaped her that she was doing now, the exact things that her mother had been ridiculed for while she had lived in Mystic Falls growing up.

When her mother had told her of how she had died on the table giving birth to her, only to be resuscitated, she had told Kelly that after she had started hearing voices in her head she had gone to Sheila Bennett who had been rumored to be a witch for assistance. Her mother hadn't believed the rumors about Sheila but as she was hearing voices she didn't know where else to go without having to be committed. Sheila after hearing her mother's story had offered her a drink and given her a book on Necromancy. By the time Kelly had turned one, her mother had perfected her power.

Kelly had always refused to believe her mother and had been embarrassed by what her mother had claimed to do and by a town who persecuted her for it. It wasn't until Kelly had left town with Pete that she realized he truth of what her mother had told her.

Their car had crashed, and wrapped itself around a tree. Kelly's heart had stopped beating on the way to the hospital. She had been saved and upon waking from her surgery, the voices had started. She had written to Sheila Bennett a week later.

Sheila had written back speaking of ancient Shaman and Necromancers throughout the Donavan line, and about powers triggered by trauma and death. Kelly hadn't taken the news well, it was when the drinking had started.

When she had returned to Mystic Falls the dead had followed her. She couldn't escape the voices of the dead calling out to her in her head. She couldn't stop her powers from slipping, accidently taking a soul here and resurrecting someone there. She hadn't learned about her powers or how to control them before her return. She had chosen to ignore them but her problems had followed her and so she drank and she acted like an idiot and her son had told her that he never wanted to see her again.

After she had left she had decided the only way that she could ever live a life worth living would be if she learned to accept who she was and her powers were a part of that. And so she had joined Alcoholics Anonymous and had gone to the library to research Necromancy. The rest was history.

"Hello mother," a voice said from behind her.

Kelly jumped, the book she had been holding having fallen to the floor. She turned to see her daughter standing behind her. "Jesus Vicki," she sighed, "I asked you not to do that."

Vicki smirked. Her mother was the only one that could see her outside of Jeremy and Matt. Jeremy blocked her out most of the time and her mother wasn't close to her in life or death so she hadn't been lying to Matt when she had said that she was lonely, considering who could see her, outside of Matt, she may as well have had no one. "And here I thought that you would be happy to see me?" Vicki pouted her tone dripping of sarcasm.

"I'm always happy to see you," Kelly said returning to her task, "Even when you're up to something."

"What makes you think I'm up to something?" Vicki asked. That was the one thing that Vicki hated about people that practiced death magic, they were just as suspicious of the dead as they were the living because they knew exactly what the dead were capable of.

"You never were a good liar," Kelly said. She placed the last book on the shelf and then turned and faced her daughter. "Let me guess," she said, "Another scheme to bring you back from the dead."

Vicki growled and the lights of the shop flickered, the books that Kelly had just shelved falling to the floor. Kelly stared at her daughter unimpressed. "I wouldn't have to scheme," she hissed, "If you would just help me."

"You don't think I wouldn't bring you back if I could?" Kelly asked. She had explained this to Vicki already. "You were a vampire when you died," she said, "You were unnatural. Who knows what you would come back as if I resurrected you but it wouldn't be you…not really. I've told you magic-"

"Has consequences," Vicki finished rolling her eyes, "I know." They had had this discussion before, it was one of the reasons Vicki was using Matt as a last resort now. "Whatever," Vicki spat, "I'm going to go see Matty."

"Why?" Kelly asked, "He can't see you. You're only making things more painful for yourself Vicki, clinging to a life that you no longer have. I know you don't want to accept this but it's time for you to move on."

"You'd love that wouldn't you," Vicki said accusingly, "Then you'd finally be rid of me."

It was times like these that Vicky reminded Kelly of herself. The only thing that had surprised her about Vicki's death was the fact that her daughter had died before she had. Kelly blamed herself of course but that didn't change the fact that she couldn't resurrect her daughter or convince her to crossover. Kelly was such a fuck up while her daughter was alive, her daughter still refused her advice in death, even if crossing over was the best thing for her. "You know that I would rather have you here," Kelly said calmly, "But crossing over is what is best for you. I love you and seeing you here and so helpless and alone…holding onto a life that you will never get back…. It breaks my heart Vicki."

"For your information," Vicki shot back, "I _will_ be able to get my life back. Matt can see me." Vicki grinned at her mother's expression as the words sunk in.

"What do you mean Matt can see you?" Kelly asked. She couldn't believe it. Matt shouldn't have been able to see her unless…. "You don't mean…"

Vicki nodded. "Matt died last night trying to communicate with a dead witch so that he could save his best friend's life," Vicki said, "Too bad you weren't there...I mean you can talk to the dead right? You could've saved him the trouble."

"Is this funny to you?!" Kelly shouted, "Your brother just lost any chance he ever had at living a normal life."

"Oh _please,_ " Vicki laughed, "Like anyone can live a normal life in Mystic Falls. At least he actually gets to live any life at all. Besides if you cared so much about him not inheriting your freaky powers you would be there and not here right now." Kelly was silent as she digested her daughter's words. Vicki was telling the truth. "He won't be the only one living their life much longer," Vicki continued, "He's going to bring me back and it's going to be the way it was before. We didn't need you then and we don't need you now."

Kelly watched as Vicki disappeared. She took a deep breath once she got over her shock. She couldn't let Matt bring her back. He couldn't be strong enough yet for a spell of that caliber, not only that but there was no telling what Vicki would come back as. Kelly walked over to the shop door and took out her keys to lock it so that no one would come inside. She flipped the sign from open to closed. She headed toward the back of the shop where the staircase that lead up to her apartment was, she would need to pack. She was going back to Mystic Falls.

 **:::**

Bonnie cornered Caroline on her way to the cafeteria right before lunch. Caroline started going on about Tyler acting like an asshole and then began to mention a bonfire but Bonnie shook her head. "Caroline stop," she said seriously, "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Caroline asked immediately on alert, "What happened? Is it Elena? Is it Tyler?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes not bothering to mention that Caroline had just gotten done calling the new hybrid an asshole. "No its Matt," Bonnie said, "He almost died last night. If I hadn't gotten there in time…I'm just worried about him."

"Why?" Caroline inquired, "I mean outside of the obvious."

Bonnie told her about the nightmare that she had witnessed Matt having that morning. Caroline raised a brow at the fact that Bonnie had not only felt the urge to wake up early just to pay Matt a visit but also to make him breakfast but she didn't comment. Bonnie told her about the incident with Matt in the hall way that morning as well. "He was holding his head almost like he was in pain," she said, "Then just like that he was standing upright and he disappeared."

"It's probably just the trauma over what happened," Caroline said, "He'll probably be fine in a couple of days."

Bonnie shook her head. "But I've been feeling this weird tingle when I touch him," Bonnie said, slightly embarrassed about how she much have sounded, "Almost like-"

"Almost like you're worried about him and really stressed on top of that so your powers are going all wonky when you see him because you're just looking for something to go wrong?"

Bonnie frowned not liking the tone Caroline was using with her. It was almost as if she were talking to a child. "That makes sense I guess," Bonnie said even though she was still skeptical.

"Now about the bonfire," Caroline chirped already back to her cheerful self. Bonnie nodded and pretended to listen as Caroline made plans. On the inside she was attempting to figure out what could be going on with Matt because she just knew something was going on.

Caroline stopped talking long enough to glare at Klaus' sister Rebekah as she strutted by them. Bonnie sighed. It looked as if she would have to figure out what was going on with Matt by herself.

 **:::**

Matt sat next to Vicki in the stoner pit and frowned. She wasn't making any sense. "You want me to perform a spell," he reiterated the request that she had made to him. Vicki nodded. "Last time I checked, Bonnie was the only one in our little group who has magical powers and even she isn't as strong as she used to be."

Vicki felt sorry for him. Once he discovered what he was becoming he would be completely blindsided. She would've told him herself but she doubted that he would believe her and even if he did she was afraid that if he discovered the truth that he would not only reject his powers but in doing so he would refuse to help her as well. She couldn't take the chance. He was her only hope, Bonnie may have been a witch but she wouldn't help Vicki and even if she would Bennetts weren't known for death magic, the Donovans however….

"It's just your blood I need," she lied, "The witch on the other side will take care of all of the magic. All you have to do is read a few words and shed a few drops of blood and you'll have me back. Then neither one of us has to be alone anymore."

"I don't know about this," Matt said shaking his head. Nothing was ever as simple as it sounded, especially when it came to magic. Besides, it was him so something was bound to go wrong.

"Please, Matty," Vicki begged. She pled with her eyes and she knew the exact moment that he gave in. "Everything is going to work out fine," she said, "Trust me." And reluctantly, Matt did.

:::

 _The bathtub that Matt lay in was full of water, and still the water kept running. The water flowed over the edge of the tub and onto the white tiled floor, Matt's body lay still at the bottom of the tub, fully clothed, and unmoving. His skin was sallow, his lips blue, his blue eyes open. His corpse crammed into the bottom of his tub, and still the water ran._

 _Small feet walked across the floor, bare, long legs, brown skin, white dress, dark hair, green eyes. Bonnie. She must have come to say goodbye. But it was too late, Matt was already dead._

 _Still Bonnie walked across the white tiled floor, the water running out of the tub reaching her ankles. She turned off the water. Climbed into the tub, legs on either side of Matt's body as she straddled him, and still Matt lay stiff and unmoving at the bottom._

 _"Matt," her voice said, "Matt! Wake up!" But her lips were unmoving. She was somehow speaking without opening her mouth as she placed her hands at the bottom of the tub on either side of his head._

 _She leaned forward, her dark curls reaching the water first as she bent down and dipped her face into the water. Her mouth covered his and the moment their lips met, Matt's heart began to beat. The water made the echo of his own heart beat that much louder as it rang through his ears._

 _Matt closed his eyes, the water filled his lungs, and the familiar burning came. His instincts were screaming at him to push Bonnie off, to sit up out of the water, to seek air. Instead Matt's hands moved to grip Bonnie's thighs, his pounding heart still thumping in his ears. As Bonnie's hands cupped his face, Matt opened his mouth to her invading tongue, and then suddenly she was his air._

Matt's blue eyes snapped open and the first thing he saw was Bonnie's concerned face hovering over his. The voices were back and Matt had to shut his eyes, as he tried to block them out. Bonnie frowned her hands cupping the sides of his face. "Matt," she said, "What is it? What happened? What's wrong?"

Matt kept his eyes closed focusing on Bonnie's voice until the other voices stopped. Sighing and feeling on the verge of a breakdown, Matt opened his eyes. He looked around and realized they weren't in his bathroom but an empty class room. Memories came back to him slowly. Vicki begging, performing the spell, finding out what Vicki had planned, and being knocked unconscious.

"Matt?" Bonnie asked the worry getting worse by the minute, "What happened? Talk to me."

"Alright," Matt said, "I'll tell you. Just let me up." Bonnie let go of his face quickly, giving him an apologetic smile. She helped him sit up, frowning as he ran a tired hand over his face. He pushed the dream to the back of his mind and then he began to tell her about the spell, not leaving out any of the details.

Matt told her about Vicki and the spell. Bonnie listened intently as Matt told her the details of the spell, and showed her what he had done and how. She frowned, something wasn't adding up. "That spell," Bonnie whispered, "Something isn't right. It doesn't make sense."

Bonnie looked completely out of her element. Now Matt was worried. "Bonnie," he said carefully, "What is it?" Between the voices, the odd dreams, and seeing Vicki since he had almost died, Matt was starting to think that death would have been preferable to the drama.

Bonnie swallowed before she spoke, not knowing how to put it into words without freaking him out. "It's just," she sighed, "That spell. It's complicated and it's death magic…." Bonnie looked at him frowning her concern increasing tenfold. "Even with the help from the witch on the other side," Bonnie said, "The only way your blood would have worked is if you had powers of your own."

"But Vicki said she needed my blood because I was her brother," Matt said shaking his head, "She said it had to be the blood of a relative."

Bonnie shook her head. "That isn't how the spell works," Bonnie said, "She misled you. Probably because you wouldn't have believed you could do it if she told you the truth. But Matt…this still doesn't make any sense, unless there's something else you're not telling me." Matt sighed looking away from Bonnie. "I know you've had some trauma from the accident but was there anything else," Bonnie pressed thinking about the power she kept feeling emanating for him, "Anything strange?"

"We don't have time for this," Matt said desperate to change the subject, "Vicki is going after Elena. I don't need to know what the spell needed to work all I need to know is if we can reverse it." If he told her about the voices then she would probably think that he was crazy and if he told her about the dreams…

Bonnie took Matt's hand ignoring the tingling sensation as she did so. Matt had died and been brought back only yesterday and now he would have to say goodbye to his sister all over again. Then there was the matter of the spell, and the likelihood that Matt had somehow developed some sort of powers. He was going to have so much to deal with. "Are you sure you can get through saying goodbye to Vicki all over again?" Bonnie asked carefully.

Matt shrugged. "It's not as if I have a real choice," he said, "I can't just let her kill Elena. And if the witch wants her to kill someone and she would agree, what else could she ask of her and get her to do? Vicki will do whatever it takes to have her life back. I can't risk anyone else getting hurt."

"I know you still have feelings for Elena," Bonnie sighed, "I wish you weren't in this position. That you didn't have to choose."

Matt shook his head. Elena wasn't the issue here, though he cared about her. Caroline wasn't the issue here, even though there was still a raw pain that her absence left, though Matt thought that had more to do with his own loneliness than Caroline. Matt hated to admit what he was thinking in that moment, but in truth, he was worried that once Elena was gone that the witch would want to use Bonnie in some way to get rid of Klaus, or worse that Bonnie could be next. "This isn't about Elena," Matt sighed, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to any of you. If it was in between you and Vicki, then I would be making the same choice."

Bonnie fought the urge to cry, she had always known how good Matt was but that never stopped him for continuously showing it. "Alright," she said, "Then we'll do the spell and I'll help you through the aftermath."

Bonnie squeezed his hand, in a gesture of reassurance but it didn't seem like enough. She made a silent vow that whatever Matt was going through, she would be there to help him through it.

 **:::**

Jeremy Gilbert wondered if Bonnie was listening to him. He had planned on stopping her, confronting her, and making her deal with the situation. It was weird and uncomfortable but he needed her to at the very least, talk to him about it. He had wanted to let Anna go a long time ago, for a while it had seemed like he had, but now that didn't seem to be the case. But just because he couldn't let Anna go didn't mean that he wanted to let Bonnie go either.

But Bonnie was in no mood to talk about Anna, not when Elena's life was in danger, and she had more reason to worry about Matt than ever before. She was almost certain now that something had happened when she had saved his life, the question of course was what. She couldn't think of anything that would make sense given the situation.

Still she wanted to tackle one thing at time. She would take care of Matt now and then deal with Jeremy and his ghostly ex-girlfriends later. When she told Jeremy as much, she couldn't help but notice the frown that marred his features at the mention of Matt's name. She didn't know what the look meant but she decided not to dwell on it too much.

She didn't have time to think about Jeremy giving her odd looks after all. She had a ghost to get rid of, one friend to save, and another friend to console.

 **:::**

Matt watched Bonnie with open interest as she knelt before him, head bent, eyes closed, hands clasped tightly together. He knew that she was worried about him, knew that he should be worried about himself, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He could feel her power as it rose and something inside of him was reaching out, wanting to grasp it, to hold onto it, and to her.

Then Vicki appeared behind them, begging and Matt had to close his eyes. Matt closed his ears to her pleading as well. But then the voices returned and he knew that he was going insane. He closed his eyes tighter, and bit his lip in an effort not to scream, hot tears running silently down his cheeks and he tried to drown it out. But then he heard the sound of a gate opening, wrought iron sliding against itself as some invisible prison unlocked and swept his sister inside.

Bonnie couldn't hear the gate, nor could she hear the voices; but as she opened her eyes once the spell was finished she could clearly see Matt's torment. "Matt," she whispered carefully, "Its over." She watched as his eyes shot open, endless blue and boring into hers. "It's over," she repeated more firmly this time. She saw his body tremble and without thought she shot forward, still kneeling and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Matt clung to her, his arms wrapping around her tightly. Too tightly, making it hard for her to breathe. But he could not breathe, he wasn't sure that he would ever breathe again. He buried his face into her neck and finally the voices stopped. She shifted and he was afraid, afraid that she would leave him, afraid that she would disappear just as quickly as Vicki had into the ether. "Don't let go," he said not hearing his own words, "I'll drown. You can't…"

"Shhh," Bonnie said softly, wanting to cry herself. She knew there was something wrong, something that he wasn't telling her, and something that was off with him that perhaps neither of them knew. But there would be enough time to ask questions later. She would first have to make sure that he didn't fall apart. She ignored her own discomfort and wrapped her arms around him tighter, one hand stroking his back and rubbing in soothing circles while the other moved upward and her fingers combed through the hair on the nape of his neck.

"I'm so cold Bon," Matt whispered, "I can't breathe." He understood now, as his pulse settled and his breathing returned to normal. He didn't want to have to ask her to save him, but with whatever this was, whatever was happening to him, he would have no choice. "You're my air, Bon," he said, "You can't let go."


	2. Part Two: Sight

**Title:** The Bell It Tolls For Thee: The Second Life of Matt Donovan

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** Matt Donavon has always wondered about his place in the world of the supernatural, when trauma and a near death experience awakens something dark inside of him he finds that place with the help of one Bonnie Bennett…

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural

 **Pairings:** Bonnie/Matt, Tyler/Caroline, Jeremy/Anna, Kelly/Klaus, Elijah/Katherine, Stefan/Elena, etc.

 **Warnings:** Violence, Language, Mild-Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

 **Part Two: Sight**

Bonnie Bennett was at a loss as to what to do. She had barely managed to get Matt home as he had seemed to have turned into a lifeless zombie after his breakdown. She sat on the edge of his bed as she listened to the shower running. He had been in the bathroom for a while. She would have left already had he not asked her to stay before he disappeared into the bathroom.

She didn't know what to think about the situation and she was pretty sure that Matt didn't want to even consider what she was sure was the truth. He had magic of some sort. She could feel it and she had been through all of this herself so she knew the signs. But she also knew not to push him.

In all honesty she was pretty sure that she was the only one who could reach him anymore, and not just because of the words that he had said. The words that still echoed in her ears. _"You're my air, Bon."_

Bonnie began to wring her hands together. She knew that in many ways Matt had no one but her. His mother was gone. He had lost his sister not once but twice. There was no Elena or Caroline anymore. Things weren't the same in between Matt and Tyler. As far as Bonnie could tell she was it as far as the people that were in Matt's corner at the moment and she was determined to stay with him for as long as he would allow it.

She knew what is was to feel lost. She still hadn't gotten over losing her grandmother. Her own mother had left her long ago and her dad's job kept him away. She had Jeremy but now she was expected to share him with a ghost. She would have to talk to Jeremy eventually she knew but she couldn't leave Matt, not now. She couldn't overlook Matt because she knew what it was like to be overlooked.

Bonnie looked up as Matt left the bathroom and reentered his room. He looked lost, almost as if he didn't know where he was. He was wearing pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, his damp hair dripping all over his neck and shoulders. There was a towel in his hand but it didn't seem like he even registered any of it.

Sighing Bonnie stood and walked into his path. He stopped, his eyes meeting hers, finally looking as if he was somewhat connected to reality. Bonnie swallowed as she took the towel from his hand. Reaching up she began to towel off his neck and hair. She was so focused on her task that she hadn't realized that he had reached out to touch her until his hands wrapped around her wrists. She jumped slightly, whether it was from surprise or because of the tingling sensation that she felt upon contact with his skin she wasn't sure. "What is it?" She said, as she stood frozen.

"I know you probably think that I'm going crazy," Matt said, his eyes never leaving hers, "But I don't think I can be alone right now. Could you…maybe stay the night?"

Bonnie didn't bother giving it much thought as she nodded slowly. Matt slowly released her wrists and Bonnie continued on with her task of drying his hair.

"Thank you," Matt whispered. He wasn't sure what the hell was even going on with his world anymore but he somehow knew that whatever was happening, he would need her.

Bonnie nodded, again as her arms fell to her sides. She bit her lip not really knowing what to say. She guessed she would be sleeping in Vicki's old room though the thought kind of disturbed her, especially after sending the girl back to the in between just a couple of hours ago. She would need clothes; something to wear the next day and something to sleep in. Still as she looked at Matt she didn't even feel comfortable enough to leave him long enough to go home and pack a bag. She would just have to wear something of Vicki's or call Caroline in the morning.

"You probably need something to sleep in," Matt said, as if reading her thoughts from the expression on her face.

Before Bonnie could respond Matt walked over to his dresser and began opening drawers. When he walked back over to her he had an old Nirvana t-shirt that his mother had claimed belonged to his dad but that he later found out she had purchased on clearance at a thrift shop, and a pair of his basketball shorts. He held them out to Bonnie, looking down awkwardly.

"Thanks," Bonnie said, taking the clothing and disappearing into the bathroom.

Matt sighed. He knew that he was asking too much of her but he really didn't think that he could stand the idea of her leaving. He was being selfish he knew but he didn't know what he would do with himself if he didn't have her there to keep him grounded to reality.

Sighing Matt walked over to his bed, still messy from that morning and plopped down onto the mattress. He laid across the bed, his eyes closed and his hands behind his back and waited. He just wanted to sleep and wake up to find that the life he had been living was just one big nightmare that hadn't been real.

Matt stayed still as the shuffling behind the bathroom door stopped and then the door opened a moment later. He peeked one eye open and smiled slightly as Bonnie walked out of bathroom. She was small so it wasn't surprising to find that his clothes swallowed her. She looked down, biting her lip, her hands moving up to touch the messy bun she had pulled her hair into. It was probably the cutest and most awkward scene Matt had ever witnessed. When she looked in his direction Matt shut his eyes, hoping that she hadn't caught him peeking.

Bonnie smiled slightly as she studied Matt's still form. She wasn't surprised that he was sleeping, he had had a long day after all. Sighing, Bonnie pushed down the awkward feeling that she was having being in his room and in his clothes and she walked over to the bed. She grabbed his comforter from where it lay balled up at the foot of the bed and spread it over Matt instead. She tucked him in the way that her Grams used to tuck her in before she bent down and placed a kiss on his forehead.

He looked at peace in his sleep at least and Bonnie found as her fingers danced across his cheek, that she was grateful for it. Bonnie drew her hand away from him and then reached over to turn off the lamp that sat on his nightstand. It wasn't until the room was pitched in darkness that she found the courage to speak. "Goodnight Matt," she whispered, "I'm here as long as you need me." And he did need her, not to do some spell which was all everyone else seemed to think that she was good for nowadays, no, he needed her to be his friend and so she would be.

Bonnie moved to leave the room but without thinking Matt reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Stay," he said, the darkness giving him courage as well. He didn't know what the hell he was doing. Bonnie had a boyfriend, who Matt was friends with and who was related to his ex-girlfriend no less. Matt had dated not one, but two, of Bonnie's best friends. This was crossing boundaries even without all of that because it was outside of what had been the norm for his friendship with Bonnie up until this point anyway. The situation was already weird and awkward enough without Matt being an asshole and making it worse; but having her in the other room wasn't enough. He needed her there next to him if he had any hopes of getting any type of sleep.

Bonnie bit her lip, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Matt still held her wrist and she was trying to figure out whether or not she wanted to stay or run. She knew the potential consequences for both; but she also knew the likelihood of her leaving him was small. She was his friend and she loved him and he was in pain and really there didn't seem to be a choice. "Scoot over," she said, looking anywhere but at him even in the darkness, "I always sleep on the right side."

Matt smiled letting go of her hand as he scooted to the opposite side of the bed. "Good," he said, "I like the left side so I won't have to fight you for it."

Bonnie swallowed, his words making her feel more uncomfortable than before. While she had fallen asleep next to Jeremy before, they didn't really make it a habit to sleep in bed together. They hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level. In that respect Jeremy had more experience than Bonnie did and she had always felt self-conscious even sleeping in the same bed with him because of it, though all they had ever done was sleep. Now she was sleeping in the same bed with who was arguably now her best friend as in all honesty her relationship with Elena wasn't the same as it had once been. It was weird to say the least. "Either way you'd lose," she said, trying to break the tension she was feeling.

"Probably," Matt said, "You wouldn't even have to use your powers. You could just bat your eyelashes at me and I'd give it up for you in a heartbeat. I'm easy like that."

"You shouldn't have said that," she said, "Now I'm going to have to take advantage of you." She laughed halfheartedly as she pulled back the covers and hesitantly climbed into bed beside him. She didn't dwell on the double meaning of her words. Given the situation she was sure that it was best not to.

"Go right ahead," Matt said, seriously, "After what you've done for me the last couple of days I'd gladly give you whatever you want." He looked up at the ceiling, unable to chance looking at her as his hand sought hers in the dark.

Bonnie clasped his hand squeezing tightly. Her concern had rushed back and she was grateful for it as it had chased the other more inappropriate thoughts away. "That's what friends do, Matt," she said, "You'd do the same for me." She wasn't really sure that he or anyone else would, however. She had always had a problem with giving more than she expected to receive.

Matt did turn to her then, meeting her eyes; hers seeming to glow in the dark. "I would," he said earnestly, "I'd do anything. Always. For you."

Bonnie looked away from him then, ignoring the tear that escaped and fell down her cheek, as she closed her eyes. It was nice, hearing someone say those words. It was even nicer because she knew that he meant them. "Goodnight, Matt," she whispered.

"Goodnight, Bon," Matt whispered back. She was there with him and so he knew that he would make it until the next day without drowning.

 **:::**

 _Matt had never seen so much rain. The town's streets were flooded with it, the water burying cars and flooding into homes. Matt lay in the bed of his truck, hands behind his head, as the rain pounded down from the sky. He was as still as death, even though the truck bed had long since become full of water._

 _Matt closed his eyes; smiling as he heard the sound of Bonnie settling down next to him. "You'd think you'd be sick of water by now," she said as she lay down next to him in the small pool._

 _"You'd think," he said sitting up slightly, his smile turning to a grin as he reached out to her. Their voices were quiet despite the roar of the rain. He pulled Bonnie on top of him and where their bodies touched he could barely feel the rain that pounded mercilessly against their skin. "You'd think you'd be sick of me by now," he said._

 _Bonnie smiled down at him. "Never," she said, and as she leaned down to cover his mouth with hers, Matt believed her._

Matt woke up slowly. The voices were there but they almost seemed like a faint echo before they dulled. That dream had been different from the others. It was less foreboding and even with the rain it had seemed more real. Matt frowned, not really knowing what to make of it.

He moved to stretch but stopped, his eyes opening wide when he realized where his hands were. He looked down at Bonnie, remembering the events from the night before all at once. She was no longer on the other side of the bed but rather draped over Matt; her arms around his middle and her leg thrown over his own. Matt had one arm spread out, Bonnie using it as a pillow, his hand in her hair. His other arm was around Bonnie's waist, his hand resting low on her hip. Matt knew the situation was borderline inappropriate but even so he felt as if Bonnie was supposed to be in his arms; that it made sense for her to be there in his arms as he woke up.

Bonnie moved closer to him; and Matt blamed his dreams for his actions; as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head, his fingers playing with the hair that had slipped from her bun. He knew he was probably going insane but he couldn't think of how crazy his actions were, he could only think about how soft her hair was and how easily it ran through his fingers. It had been that way in his dreams too.

Shaking his head Matt pried himself away from Bonnie, slowly and carefully, as not to wake her. He was really going insane. Matt managed to get his arms from around her but Bonnie still clung to him in her sleep and he couldn't say that he didn't find it comforting, and more than a little pleasant.

Bonnie's cell phone rang, the familiar ringtone sounding from across the room where her things sat on his desk. He let out a sigh of relief as Bonnie woke, her head snapping up. She noticed immediately that her arms were around him and let go. Matt didn't dwell on the fact that he missed her arms around him even before they left him completely.

Bonnie looked over at him, her embarrassment clear as she sat up quickly. She climbed out of bed and crossed the room in search of her phone. She picked it up, looked at the screen, and frowned before turning back to Matt. "You hungry?" She asked.

Matt raised a brow at her. "Should I ask who that was?" He asked. The last time he had seen her ignore a call from someone had been right after Caroline had been turned.

Bonnie sighed. "Damon," she said, "Whatever he wants it can wait." She usually answered when he called as it was usually important (because he would never call her if he didn't need her help which usually amounted to a spell) but as she thought about the night that Matt had almost died, she didn't feel bad about making him wait. "What do you want for breakfast?" She asked, Matt returning back to the previous topic and trying to hide the awkwardness she still felt waking up wrapped around him. Going into the kitchen would be the perfect excuse for her to leave the room, and separate herself from the situation for a while; which was what she needed to do even if she wanted to help Matt out.

"Pancakes?" Matt asked hopefully. He smiled when Bonnie huffed. "Please?" He said pouting the same way that usually got Bonnie to give him her pudding cup every time she packed lunch from kindergarten all through elementary school.

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him but she couldn't help but smile. He seemed better and for that she was glad even if they still had things that they would have to address. "Fine," she said, heading for the door. Stretching her arms over her head, Bonnie sighed. "The things I do for you," she said theatrically.

Matt walked up behind her and Bonnie jumped as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He hadn't meant to startle her but still he forged ahead. "I appreciate it, you know," he said. He rested his chin on the top of her head as he locked his arms around her. "I appreciate you."

Bonnie swallowed, clearing her throat. They were friends, they hugged and touched all the time, so much so that it now felt like second nature. It was odd but it felt different now. The words that Matt was saying weren't helping matters in that department. "I know," she said, leaning back into him only for a moment, before gently tugging his arms from around her, "I appreciate you, too."

Matt watched as she left the room, feeling as if something had changed but not knowing exactly what it was.

 **:::**

Caroline Forbes tried calling Bonnie once more as she ascended the steps to Matt Donovan's house. She wanted to get ahold of at least one of them as she wasn't planning on helping set up for the Night of Illumination on her own. Bonnie wasn't home and Caroline figured that she was somewhere finally talking things out with Jeremy, so that left Matt.

Caroline looked for the spare key that Matt had hidden underneath the flower pot on the porch and when it was absent she knocked instead. She waited and after a moment Matt answered still wearing his pajamas. He blinked at her as if confused to see her there. Caroline remembered what had happened to him the night before and immediately regretted seeking him out. "How are you?" She asked.

Matt shrugged. "Could be better," he said, and then thought of Bonnie, "But I could be worse." Matt looked behind him as he listened to Bonnie shuffling around in his kitchen before he turned back to Caroline. "What are you doing here anyway? It's kind of early."

"We were supposed to help set up," Caroline said, "You know for the Night of Illumination."

Matt frowned, he had forgotten about that. "Come in," he said, "You can bug me about it after breakfast."

"Since when do you cook?" Caroline asked, "I thought you lived off of ramen, take out, and Grill food."

"I did," Matt said as Caroline stepped inside and he shut the door behind her, "Until an angel of mercy took pity on me. "

Before Caroline could ask she heard sounds coming from Matt's kitchen. Frowning curiously she followed Matt into the kitchen. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of Bonnie wearing Matt's clothes and setting the table.

"We need one more plate, Bon," Matt said.

Bonnie looked over at him her brow furrowed until she looked over at Caroline. She smiled at her friend a bit self-consciously before she took another plate down from the cabinet. "Hi, Care," she said, attempting to act as if Caroline showing up to find her friend cooking breakfast for her ex-boyfriend while wearing his clothes after spending the night the day before was a regular occurrence.

" _Hi, Bonnie_ ," Caroline said, with an eyebrow raised as she sat down at the kitchen table. Bonnie set a plate in front of her and Caroline gave her a questioning look, though she wasn't passing judgment just yet. She and Matt were over and she wasn't going to judge Bonnie about being there while still with Jeremy after how she and Tyler had started but she was curious just the same.

"Matt was kind of down yesterday so I stayed over," Bonnie said, as she began to sit the food in the middle of the table.

Matt rolled his eyes. "You don't have to explain anything to her," he said, as he pulled a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator, "She's not your mom."

Bonnie laughed as Caroline cut her eyes at him. "No," Bonnie said, "But she likes to think that she is so I have to give her something."

Caroline watched as Matt shook his head and placed the carton on the table. She raised an eyebrow as he pulled Bonnie's chair out for her. He hadn't even been that chivalrous while dating Elena, though he was ever the gentleman. Still while Caroline was sure that Matt was finally over Elena in the romantic since, and a little late as far as her own relationship with Matt went. She knew just how gone he had been for Elena first hand. Seeing Bonnie get preferred treatment that even Elena hadn't been given was very telling even if Bonnie seemed oblivious. Though, Bonnie might not have been that out of touch as she looked equally as surprised as Caroline as she sat down.

Matt turned to Caroline as he sat down. "Would it make you feel any better if I told you that her maidenhood was still intact?" He asked, Caroline, grinning.

"Matt!" Bonnie exclaimed, shaking her head.

Caroline kicked him under the table and suddenly Matt froze his eyes going blank. Caroline frowned. "Come on, Matt," she said, "I didn't kick you that hard."

But Matt wasn't listening, he was trapped in his own mind as vision took hold.

 _Caroline was running from something, or rather someone. Matt couldn't tell where she was but it definitely wasn't Mystic Falls. It was some large city, the buildings alight. There was traffic and noise everywhere. People filled the sidewalk and still Caroline ran._

 _She ran into a dark alley, a newspaper drifting past in the wind, the date almost seventy years in the future; but of course being what she now was Caroline hadn't aged a day._

 _She realized much too late that she had come to a dead end. She scoured the alley for somewhere, anywhere to hide. But before she could find refuge someone sped up behind her and shoved a stake into her heart through her back._

 _Matt watched her fall and heard the sound of the gates open up as her soul was sucked into the in-between._

Matt was brought out of his vision by Bonnie's hand gripping his shoulder. She was shaking him and he blinked as he came back to himself. He shook his head. He couldn't have just saw what he had thought he saw. It was impossible. "Matt," Bonnie said, carefully, "Are you okay?"

No, he wasn't. But they weren't alone, Caroline was there and he didn't feel comfortable drawing comfort from Bonnie while she was present. They hadn't even done anything and Caroline was making Bonnie uncomfortable and implying things with the way that she was looking at them already. "I'm fine," he said, pushing the vision to the back of his mind, "I just zoned out a little."

Bonnie nodded but she gripped his hand under the table anyway. "You should eat," she said, "I put chocolate chips in the pancakes like you like."

Matt smiled, as he used his free hand to put food on his plate and Bonnie did the same with her free hand. "Thanks," he said. Had anyone else cooked he wouldn't have bothered trying to stomach food after what he had just seen but Bonnie had been there for him and so he forced forkful after forkful into his mouth.

Caroline watched them silently as she they ate and she noted that throughout the entire meal they stayed holding hands.

 **:::**

Bonnie watched as Damon Salvatore pulled up in front of where she and Caroline had been hanging lanterns. She was almost relieved to see him. She and Caroline were discussing the Jeremy and Anna situation and Bonnie was still at a loss about what to do about it. She had been telling Caroline the truth; as long as Jeremy and Anna wanted to see each other they could, she didn't know what that meant for her and Jeremy.

She was angry that Jeremy wanted to see Anna, to spend time with her, especially as they had barely seen each other since Bonnie had returned to town after being away all summer. But that was partially her fault as well. She was avoiding him because a part of her knew, knew that it was the beginning of the end.

She didn't want to lose him, she loved him, but at the same time she knew that she couldn't cling to someone who was still chasing after ghosts of the past. And she didn't know, even with her love for him, if she was holding on because she didn't want to let go of what they had or because she wasn't ready to lose yet another person and she didn't want to be alone.

Bonnie was brought out of her thoughts as Damon began to detail getting attacked by Mason Lockwood. While she was shocked and worried about the ghosts popping up and even having a physical foothold in the real world she couldn't say she felt sorry for him. Damon had been responsible for who knew how many deaths over the years and here he was complaining about one coming back and biting him the ass, or rather sticking a hot poker through his chest. The idiot deserved worse, even if she didn't hate him as much as she once had.

Of course he blamed her, even though if he hadn't killed Mason to begin with there would be no reason for a "vengeful Lockwood', to come after him in the first damn place.

"When I kill someone their supposed to stay dead," Damon said, slowly, condescendingly; pronouncing each word. She didn't like his tone; but she knew that she wouldn't say anything. She was tired of fighting and arguing with everyone just to receive the tiniest amount of respect. It had been so long now, and she didn't expect anything anymore; not even a thank you when she inevitably fixed the problem.

Matt watched the scene from across the street his anger rising. He had always hated Damon. Always. And now the asshole was talking to Bonnie as if she were nothing. As if she hadn't saved him, all of them before. As if it was her fault that he went around killing people the way humans went around breathing.

"Whatever you screwed up," Damon said, "Fix it." Matt knew that it was an order and he could tell Bonnie wanted to say or do something but she stayed frustratingly silent. Matt glared at Damon thinking about giving him a taste of his own medicine; just once.

Damon moved to pull off, having said what he had needed to say but stopped when suddenly his throat closed. He felt as if someone had him in a vice grip. "Bonnie," he said angrily, though it came out more like a wheeze.

Bonnie frowned as she watched Damon's eyes began to bulge. He was clawing at his throat and then suddenly his hands were clutching his head. Blood poured from Damon's ears and then his eyes.

"Bonnie!" Caroline said grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.

Bonnie pushed her away shaking her head, "It isn't me," she hissed lowly; looking across the street. They both looked at the image that Matt made, his face contorted in fury, his eyes no longer blue but pitch black.

Caroline tried to stop her, her fear evident, but Bonnie pulled away from her and raced across the street. Bonnie wasn't sure how she could stop him but she knew that she had to; for his sake just as much as for Damon's.

Bonnie stepped in front of Matt and grabbed the sides of his face. "Matt," she said, "Look at me." Matt's eyes focused on her but they were still black and his stare was blank. "You have to stop this," she tried, "Please."

"Why?" He asked, "I'm tired of his shit. He isn't the only one suffering and yet anytime that he's so much as gets a fucking hang nail he throws a tantrum."

Bonnie might have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. It was the truth after all. "I know," she said, "He's an asshole but this isn't the way. Trust me I've been there and done that." She thought about the night that she had almost killed Damon after Caroline was turned. She didn't want that for Matt, he was better than that.

"I don't like the way that he was talking to you," Matt said, his voice still so calm, even with his actions.

Bonnie was surprised at the sentiment, but she shook it off. If she had any doubts before they were now gone, Matt had magic, powerful magic. If she didn't stop him then he was going to use that magic to end Damon's life. "I'm fine," she said, quickly, "Just stop. You know this isn't right. This isn't you, Matt. Please stop this, for me."

Matt's eyes cleared, the shade going from black to blue. "For you," he whispered.

Bonnie glanced across the street and was grateful to find that Damon was acting as if nothing had happened; even though the fact that he could make Damon forget meant that Matt was more powerful than Bonnie even thought.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked, as she turned back to Matt.

No, he wasn't. He was some sort of dangerous freak that heard voices, had dreams about girl's that he shouldn't have been dreaming about, and saw the deaths of his friends at the fucking breakfast table. "I have to go," he said.

"But, Matt," Bonnie pressed, "I know you don't want to deal with this but it's serious. What you just did…Matt if we don't get control over this then it could be dangerous. We have to talk about this."

It already was dangerous, and if he could hurt Damon then he could hurt Bonnie too and everyone else and he didn't want that. "This isn't your problem, Bon," he said, as Caroline crossed the street to join them, "Just deal with whatever is going on with these ghosts. I'll be fine."

"What do you mean you'll be fine?" Caroline asked as she stopped in front of them, "You almost killed Damon. What is going on here?"

Matt blinked at her, and then rolled his eyes before turning back to Bonnie. He didn't want to deal with any of this at the moment. Things had been looking up that morning, not by much but they had been close enough to good as he could remember, waking up next to Bonnie and now things had completely gone to hell. "I've had enough of this ghost stuff to last forever," he said, "So you guys can leave me out of this one."

They watched as he began to walk away. "Matt," Both Caroline and Bonnie protested at the same time, but it was Bonnie's voice made him stop and turn around.

Matt sighed as he looked at Bonnie, the worry was clearly etched on her face. He reached out and she didn't hesitate as she took his hand. He pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her, feeling calmer as she hugged him back. "I can't deal with this right now," he whispered, "I'll call you later."

"I'll hunt you down if you don't," Bonnie said as she clung to him slightly. She was afraid that he would go off and do something stupid if she let him go. She felt him kiss the top of her head before he let go of her and she reluctantly released him as well.

Matt walked away then, without looking back.

"I guess you were right to worry," Caroline said, choosing not to comment on Matt's attention to Bonnie. There were more important things to worry about. Besides she understood now more than ever why Bonnie was so intent on helping him. Whatever this power Matt had was had blindsided him and come out of nowhere the same way Bonnie's had. Caroline was scared and more than a little worried, but more than that she was sad that yet another one of the people that she cared about had been cheated out of a normal life.

"I'm scared for him," Bonnie said biting her lip, "I don't want to leave him alone but I know that I can't reach him when he's like this." Bonnie could remember when they had spoken after his mom had left the last time, he had called her in the middle of the night and nothing that she could say would console him. When he was like that it was best to simply listen to him, but now he didn't even want to talk.

"It took a lot for him to send his sister away," Caroline said, "And now he's dealing with whatever this is. Still…he can find it in him to reassure you and be concerned for you because you're worried about him. He appreciates what you're doing for him. I can tell. He's dealing with a lot right now but he can't find it in him not to be selfish. He even wants you to deal with this ghost thing and not worry about him. Putting his need aside for the greater good."

"Yeah," Bonnie nodded. She thought about his near breakdown and she didn't want to leave him to be trapped in a similar state. But right now it wasn't as if she had a choice. Still she knew that the sooner she took care of the ghost situation the sooner she could help Matt and so she had her motivation to get the job done.

"So much strength as a man," she continued. She gave Bonnie a pointed look and didn't bother to hide the fact that she was taking a jab and Jeremy. She couldn't help herself. Right now Matt was a million times better for Bonnie than Jeremy was and Matt seemed to need Bonnie just as much. Caroline cared about both of them too much to keep her mouth shut on the matter.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "We've got a ghost problem to deal with, Caroline," she said, "Save the Jeremy lecture for later."

Caroline raised a brow at her. She hadn't been trying to compare the two overtly, just to make Bonnie think about things from a different perspective. But that seemed to be right where Bonnie's mind had went, and that told Caroline a lot as well. "I only meant that whatever this is," Caroline said, "Matt will be strong enough to deal with it."

"Well," Bonnie said walking back across the street, "I'm going to make sure that he doesn't have to deal with it alone."

"I'm sure that you will," she said as she followed Bonnie across the street. Caroline remembered the way that she had been so willing to help Tyler, the bond that they had forged and what it had led to. But it was too soon to warn Bonnie about that. Besides she wasn't against the idea of Matt and Bonnie. It made sense in a lot of ways actually.

"I know that this seems weird-" Bonnie began, only to have Caroline cut her off.

"It isn't weird, Bonnie," Caroline said, "You and Matt have been close ever since he let you burrow his Elmer's glue so that you could put the glitter on the mother's day card that you were making for your Grams in kindergarten. And you always will be close, so it makes sense that you're helping him now. Besides, he's always been more open with you than anyone else. You guys have never talked just for the hell of it, when you talk you _talk_. He was the only one besides me you would talk to after your Grams died. He was there for you when you couldn't deal with me being turned."

The more Caroline thought of it the more sense it made. She wondered as she continued why she hadn't thought of it sooner. In all honesty she was no longer surprised that she and Matt hadn't worked out of a number of reasons. But even Elena, who Matt had placed on a pedestal for so long had been there for him the way that Bonnie had. He had been there for her, but like with everyone else who went up to bat for Elena, it was not always even the other way around. With Bonnie it was the opposite. She always did more for everyone than they did for her and no one had really ever tried to reciprocate as of late. Even she had slipped in her best friend duties. But Matt was always consistent.

"You helped him through his breakup with Elena," Caroline continued, "It was you he called over and over in the middle of the night when his mom left even though it was me he was with at the time and he had shut me out. You're the one who went with him to visit Vicki's grave the first time he could bring himself to go outside of the funeral and you were there with him when he said goodbye to her again. It makes perfect sense Bonnie. Outside of Tyler who he isn't really on the best of terms with right now, you're probably his best friend. So don't feel bad. Besides you have a thing about protecting people so I get it. As long as you know the reasons that you're doing this, why you're going through so much trouble for him then I don't see the problem."

She probably should have felt weirder about her ex-boyfriend possibly developing feelings for her best friend but she was at the moment dating her ex-boyfriend's best friend so Caroline wasn't all that surprised that it didn't really bother her all that much. As long as they were happy if it ever happened she wouldn't really care.

Bonnie bent down to pick up her bag and sighed when it unzipped. "What do you mean? What other reasons besides being his friend do I need?" She asked as she moved to pick up her things.

Before Caroline could answer Bonnie's grimoire popped open and she knew that the conversation would have to wait until another time.

 **:::**

Kelly Donovan stood up from where she was sitting on the couch in what had once been her living room as her son walked in. He looked dazed and lost; much the same way she had when her powers had begun to manifest.

"Matt," Kelly said carefully, attempting to get his attention.

When Matt's eyes fell on his mother; there was shock, confusion, and anger, but mostly he just looked tired. "I thought that I told you not to come back here," he said stiffly. It was bad enough he had some freaky shit going on with himself, he didn't need to deal with his mother on top of everything else.

"After seeing your sister," Kelly said, running her hands down her crème colored blouse, "I didn't have a choice."

Matt's face crumbled and he knew that he was about to break down, Bonnie wasn't there this time to hold him together. "Is that supposed to be funny?" Matt asked, "Vicki is dead and you come back to tell you that you saw her?" Matt shook his head, a bitter laugh falling from his lips. He had just lost Vicki all over again, why did she have to come back now when that loss was so fresh. "Get out," he said.

"I can't do that," Kelly said calmly, "I'm telling the truth. I could see your sister and from what she told me you could too." Matt looked at her then, and he looked so vulnerable. It was almost as if he was a little boy again. "I suppose you've been having dreams and hearing voices too?" Kelly asked, though it wasn't really a question.

Matt took a step back, shaking his head. "How do you know all of this?" He asked.

"Because the same thing happened to me when I died and was brought back," Kelly said. "That's what triggers it…death." She wanted to go to him. To hold him. To promise that she would never leave him again. She would keep that promise even if he would likely reject her offer.

"What do you want?" Matt asked sounding broken, "Why are you here?" He needed to leave, he needed to call Bonnie.

"I am here to explain to you what is happening to you," Kelly said, seriously, "All that you have to do is listen and if you want me gone when I am done then I will go."

Matt thought about what he was going through, about being afraid, about Bonnie worrying about him. What if this was the only way that he would be able to get his answers? Even though he wanted to desperately, he knew that he couldn't hide from whatever was happening; and if he hurt someone and he lost someone else because of it. "You can stay long enough to explain," he said, "But then I want you gone."

Kelly wanted to ask him how he was doing. How school was. About his friends. She wanted to fall to her knees and beg him for forgiveness. She wanted to tell him that she was sober. But this was not about what she wanted. This was about what Matt wanted, what Matt needed, and what was best for him. For the first time in a long time Kelly thought as if she were a parent, leaving her selfishness behind. "Fair enough," she said, and sat down on the couch once more.

After a moment of internal debate, Matt sat down next to her.

 **:::**

The last thing that Bonnie had expected to open her eyes to as she finished the spell that would allow them to see the spirits was her grandmother. She wanted to cry, to hug her, anything to prove that she was real. But her Grams was all business and she knew without being told that she was there to help her fix the mess that she had created.

Bonnie listened as Sheila told her about the witch on the other side. The one that had been assisting Vicki, the one that was involved with the originals. She frowned as Sheila told her that she had opened the door to the in-between.

"I'm here," Sheila said, "Because you upset the balance of nature and it's your duty to set it right. You need to close that door."

"How do I do that?" Bonnie asked.

Sheila shook her head. "You can't," she said, "Its death magic. Magic that is beyond even us. But you can help someone who can."

"Who?" Bonnie asked. She thought for a moment and then she was able to answer her own question. "Matt," she said.

Sheila nodded. "It was your magic along with his that started this," she said, "You with bringing Jeremy back and him with giving Vicki a foothold to real world. It is the two of you that has to end it."

Bonnie leaned forward, more interested in this than even the witch on the other side. "So I was right," she said, "Matt has some type of powers. What are they? What is he?"

"Later," Sheila said, "It will take some time before his is strong enough to do what needs to be done. Right now you need the witch's talisman, the one from the other side. It must remain in your possession until you can destroy it. It can be dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Talisman?" Bonnie asked, confused again.

"The necklace," Sheila said, "The one that Stefan gifted to Elena. It once resided around the neck of the witch on the other side. It's where she gets her power and anyone with magic that has access to it will have access to her gifts. She's powerful and that power in the wrong hands…"

Bonnie nodded. "I understand," she said. She gave Caroline a look and her friend moved to call Elena, without a word needing to be exchanged between them.

Sheila took Bonnie's hands causing the girl to look at her once more. "I may not be here for as long as you want me to be physically," she said, "But I've always been here Bonnie, and no matter what happens I always will be."

Bonnie leaned forward and finally hugged her Grams after so long of not being able to, she was unaware that on the phone Elena was telling Caroline that Jeremy had kissed Anna.

 **:::**

Necromancer. Shaman. Death magic. All words that would have meant nothing to Matt a few hours ago and now they were all that he could think about; and Bonnie's eyes were all that he saw when he closed his.

"I don't understand any of this," Matt said shaking his head, "It seems so impossible. But more than anything I don't understand why you wouldn't tell me."

Kelly sighed. She knew that this wouldn't be easy, and she knew that that question would come eventually. "This isn't going to make much sense to you but I didn't think that it would ever touch you," she said.

Matt rolled his eyes. He couldn't comprehend the things that she had told him and still her excuse left much to be desired. "Why not?" He asked, "If it happened to you then why not me? What made you think that I would get some sort of free pass?" According to her even his grandmother had unlocked their powers.

Kelly looked away a moment and then turned back to her son again. "I saw how you will die," she said, "It was such a normal way that I thought that you would be spared."

Matt frowned. So what he had seen happen to Caroline would really take place. "Has it changed?" he asked, "Since all of this has happened?" Kelly shook her head. "What did you see?" Matt asked. He didn't know why he wanted to know but he did.

Kelly took a deep breath before she spoke. "You're an old man," she said, "You go peacefully in your sleep." There was one detail that she was leaving out, one that he was not ready to hear just yet.

Matt didn't believe her. With everything that was going on around him, and what he now was, he doubted very much that he would make it to old age. "Can you tell me anything about this connection that I have to Bonnie?" He asked more to change the subject than anything else.

Kelly nodded. "It's partially because she is the one that brought you back," she said, "And partially because of what you both are."

Matt's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Is that supposed to mean something to me?" He asked.

"As a witch Bonnie can sense life," Kelly explained, "As a necromancer you sense death. You're virtually two sides of the same coin. You complement each other in every way now."

"What do you mean now?" Matt asked. He couldn't make any sense of it and yet it made perfect sense in a way. He felt more connected to her now than he ever had even in knowing her his whole life practically. "You said it like we were almost completely compatible before," he said.

Kelly raised a brow at him. "Weren't you?" She asked. Matt rolled his eyes. "Either way she will be the one to help you through this," she said, "But she will be in need of you as well."

"Then she'll have me," he said, giving Kelly a pointed looked, "I don't abandon the people that I care about."

Kelly knew that he was taking a shot at her but she let it slide. "If that is the case," she said, "I hope that you never change."

:::

After discovering what Jeremy had done and entrapping the tomb vampires, back in the tomb, with the help of her Grams; Bonnie didn't really want to deal with anyone. She wanted to curl up in a ball and shut out the world.

But she would have to see Jeremy, because Jeremy had the necklace, more particularly Anna had had the necklace and had given it to Jeremy. Bonnie wanted to laugh and cry at the same time at the thought of Jeremy giving up everything that they had had for a ghost.

He had been the one to pursue her. To care about her, and to break down her guard. She had warned him and still he had said that he would never want to lose her, not after the one's he had lost before her. He had been there for her and she had loved him. They had been real. She'd given up her powers and her connection to her ancestors to bring him back from the dead. She would do it again even now. He had been the first boy that she had ever loved and he had been the first boy to ever really cause her _real_ pain. This hadn't been like Ben or Luka; she hadn't been attached to them, she hadn't let herself feel more for them than she had felt for anyone else.

Something had been fractured in her relationship with Jeremy since her return and she wondered if it had been because of Anna or because she had been spending all of her time waiting for the bottom to drop out. Waiting for him to leave her. To leave her like her mother had left her. To leave her like her father did after only one or two days in town. To leave her like her Grams had and would again after all of this ghost stuff was over. To leave her like all of her friends were doing, slowly and painfully drifting away from her.

Bonnie didn't want to be alone but she didn't know how she would even go about trusting anyone else again. She wanted to be with someone and be so secure in their feelings for that there was never a doubt, it didn't have to be romantic. She had never doubted her Grams had loved her, even if the woman had disappeared in search of Matt's mother at the moment, Bonnie was sure that she would come back and secure in the fact that she would keep her promise and be there for Bonnie until the end. But she couldn't say the same thing about her mother. She couldn't say the same thing about her father. She couldn't say the same thing about Elena or even Caroline, if the men that they loved were involved. Now she couldn't even say the same thing about Jeremy anymore.

Sighing Bonnie looked at the book on necromancy that she had found in her Grams' basement that she now held in her hand. Her Grams had told her it would be a tool, that it would assist her in assisting Matt. Matt who she still had, Matt who needed her. Bonnie stiffened as she heard the steps to creak.

As Jeremy appeared she took the necklace from his hand tried not to think about the time that they had spent in this very house, the home to the one hundred dead witches brutally burned there; when she had faked her own death and when she had saved Jeremy's life.

He wanted to offer her an explanation, but really what was there to explain. He loved Anna, he wanted Anna, was there anything left to be said? She couldn't help but mention Matt. Couldn't help but point out how he had managed to give up Vicki, his own sister, when Jeremy couldn't even let go of an old girlfriend.

"We were real Jeremy," Bonnie said as she looked at him, "I've always known that, but I guess you didn't. You gave up something today, probably the most real thing that you've ever felt just to chase after a ghost. I don't think that you could ever really explain that to me." Jeremy was silent and she shook her head. "You'll be happy to know that Anna gets to stick around a little bit longer," she said, "I hope whatever you two have, you can find it before she has to go. Be happy while you can, get your closure. I want that for you, I do, because I love you. But I am not going to wait around for you. I'm going to let you go, because I love me more. Goodbye Jeremy."

Bonnie put the necklace in her pocket and with tears in her eyes Bonnie walked away. He called after her but she ignored him. He and Anna may not have had closure but Bonnie had gotten hers.

 **:::**

Matt hadn't really processed anything that his mother had told him. The fact that the ghost of Sheila Bennett was hanging out with his mom at this house was not helping matters. But when Ms. Sheila had told him what had happened with Bonnie and Jeremy, Matt knew exactly where he needed to be. Even with his own issues, he wanted to be there for her. It wasn't like he wanted to face his own issues anyway.

Matt used to key the Sheila had given him to let himself into Bonnie's house. As he walked inside and shut and locked the door behind him he frowned. The house was dark and he couldn't hear any noise coming from any direction.

Matt took the stairs two at a time heading for Bonnie's room. He could hear her sobs even though the closed door. He wanted to kick Jeremy's ass. He didn't understand how the hell he could leave Bonnie, someone who was strong, smart, beautiful, loyal, compassionate, giving, and the list went on and on, for the ghost someone who he had barely had a relationship with.

Perhaps he and Anna needed closure but the jack ass could have maybe broken things off with Bonnie first. Matt shook his head thinking of Caroline and Tyler; and then Stefan and Elena. Matt was no stranger to heartbreak and he didn't want that for Bonnie. She was the absolute last person that deserved it.

Matt opened her door slowly, surprised to find the light on, but not surprised to find Bonnie curled up in a ball on her bed. He closed the door behind him and she looked up at him attempting to hide her tears but still not able to leave the fetal position that she was in.

"I heard about what happened with Jeremy," Matt said, "I'm sorry."

Bonnie smiled at him sadly. "I heard about your family," she said, "Your mom. The powers. I'm sorry too."

Matt didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had gotten her heart broken and still she could manage to worry about him.

"I guess people like us don't get normal or happy," Bonnie said talking more to herself than to him.

Matt looked across her room at the record player that sat on her desk. Crates full of records lined the walls. She was the only girl that Matt had ever known that was his age and listened to records. Matt thought about the song that she had played for him when his father had disappeared. The same song he had played for her when her mother had left. The same song she had played for him when his mother had left the first and then the second time. The song was old and it was cheesy but no matter how bad they felt it always made them smile.

Matt took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. Tossing the jacket over the chair in front of Bonnie's desk he knelt down in front of the crates and dug through Bonnie's record collection. Finally he came to The Beatles', _Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band_. He put on the record, knowing exactly where to place the needle for it to play the second track, "With a Little Help from My Friends". He smiled slightly when he heard Bonnie let out a little laugh.

Matt walked over to the bed singing along with the record as he did so. " _What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song, and I'll try not to sing out of key._ "

"You're failing," Bonnie said smiling as he plopped down next to her on the bed.

"The lyrics say _try_ for a reason," Matt said. He wrapped his arms around her, and frowned when she immediately broke out in sobs, burying her face in his neck. Matt pulled her closer to him and continued to sing. " _Do you need anybody_?" He sang so off key he knew that Bonnie would have to laugh, and she did.

" _I need somebody to love_ ," Bonnie sang back, her voice small as she hiccupped through her tears.

" _Could it be anybody?_ " Matt sang, doing his best to stay calm so that he wouldn't;' do something stupid like hunt Jeremy down and practice the powers that he didn't want to acknowledge let alone know how to use.

" _I want somebody to love_ ," Bonnie sang, her voice no louder than a whisper.

Matt opened his mouth to sing but stopped as suddenly a vision overtook him. This one different than the one her had seen of Caroline.

 _Bonnie was an old woman. Eyes still so green, wrinkled brown skim, gray streaks heavily sprinkled through her dark hair, and yet she was still beautiful._

 _She climbed into bed with an old man. The man had grayish blonde hair, and blue eyes and Matt found himself jealous of that man as Bonnie kissed him goodnight and wrapped her arms around him. Their whispered, "I love you," to each other in the dark, gave Matt pause. The man's voice sounded familiar._

 _He watched as the couple fell asleep. He frowned however when their chest stopped rising and falling. When their hearts stilled and ceased to beat. They were dead, he realized. But they had died together, in each other's arms._

 _Matt turned away from the scene only to have his eyes land on a photo that sat on the nightstand by the bed. A picture of Bonnie, younger than the Bonnie on the bed but older than the Bonnie that he knew, though not by much. She looked more radiant and beautiful than he had ever seen her, which made sense because it was her wedding day. The white dress fit her perfectly, and the white roses in her hair made her look like a fairy or nymph. But as Matt looked to the groom, whom Bonnie's arms were wrapped so tightly around, he was surprised to see himself looking back at him._

"Matt?" Bonnie's voice broke Matt out of his trance. He didn't know what to do or say or think. So his mother had not been lying, he would die an old man in his sleep, she had just neglected to tell him that he would be next to his wife; next to Bonnie.

Matt could admit that he was beginning to see Bonnie as more than just a friend against his better judgment. But he had tried this before and it had ruined not just relationships but friendships as well. But still the Bonnie and the Matt in the wedding photo had looked so happy, even the elderly couple that they had made had looked so happy. Matt wanted that, for both of them. He loved Bonnie already, how much more would it take for him to love her in a different way.

It wouldn't happen right now, not right after Jeremy. But it was possible. In the future, and Matt could admit that a part of him, a big part of him that could still remember what her lips tasted like in his dreams, wanted that. They were alike in so many ways now. The people that had left them, their losses, their independence, their solitude, their history, and now their powers. Two sides of the same coin his mother had said.

"Matt?" Bonnie repeated clearly concerned.

The song on the record had already changed, now as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," filled the room.

"It might take some time," Matt said quietly, "But we can have normal and we can have happy, Bon. I promise."

Bonnie nodded, believing him because she wanted to. Because hope was all that she had now. "I trust you," she said.

"Good," Matt said. He closed his eyes and held her until they both fell asleep.


	3. Part Three: Struck

**Title:** The Bell It Tolls For Thee: The Second Life of Matt Donovan

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** Matt Donavon has always wondered about his place in the world of the supernatural, when trauma and a near death experience awakens something dark inside of him he finds that place with the help of one Bonnie Bennett…

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural

 **Pairings:** Bonnie/Matt, Tyler/Caroline, Jeremy/Anna, Kelly/Klaus, Elijah/Katherine, Stefan/Elena, etc.

 **Warnings:** Violence, Language, Mild-Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

 **Part Three: Struck**

 _The wind whipped around him and though Matt was sure that he was in a dream because of the rain that surrounded him, it was the fact that he wasn't dead that told him that he wasn't in his dream but rather he was in Bonnie's dream. Or maybe their dreams were one in the same. Either way she was there, he could feel her._

 _The air was cold and humid, and the rain drops beat down on him like tiny little drums against his skin. He looked around and realized he was at the old ruins of Fell's Church. While he could feel Bonnie he couldn't see her through the torrents of rain._

 _"Bonnie!" he called. He was sure that there was no way that she could hear him over the sound of thunder no matter how close she was. Still he yelled once more. "Bonnie!"_

 _He spun in circles, searching. It was becoming increasingly harder to breathe. He couldn't take it anymore, he needed his air. He called her name again and again his voice on the verge of being frantic. Her name left his lips over and over, until finally, he felt her arms wrap around him from behind. "I'm here Matt," she said, "I never left you." Somehow even in the rain, he could hear her voice clearly._

 _Matt turned in her arms and smiled down at her as he wrapped her in his. "I couldn't breathe there for a second," he whispered. Bonnie smiled. "The rain," Matt said, "Doesn't it bother you?"_

 _Bonnie shook her head. "I can't really feel it," she told him, "I just feel you."_

 _Matt realized that she was right. The moment she had touched him it was like the rain wasn't there. Just Bonnie. "I don't ever want you to feel anything else," he said, "No pain, no sadness, no worry, no regret, just me."_

 _"What about happiness, joy, hope, passion, pleasure?" Bonnie asked, "Don't you want me to feel those things?"_

 _"I can be those things for you," Matt pressed. There was not even a hint of playfulness in his tone as he spoke._

 _"I believe you," Bonnie whispered, meeting his gaze as the rain drenched their skin._

 _"Good," Matt said, as he leaned down to kiss her. As their lips met, lightning struck the ground illuminating the sky._

Bonnie and Matt shot up in bed at the same time. As was customary for Matt as of late, he woke up to the sound of voices. "They won't stop," he muttered, holding his head, "The voices just won't stop."

Bonnie didn't ask him what voices he was speaking about as the sleep passed and the dream did along with it. Once her head unclouded she simply wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her chin on his shoulder as she whispered what she hoped were comforting words to him. Matt turned into her, burying his face in her neck as the voices finally subsided.

Matt sighed in relief against her skin as the last of the voices faded. "Better?" Bonnie asked. He nodded but didn't move or speak. Neither of them noticed when the door to Bonnie's bedroom opened.

"What voices have you been hearing Matt?" Bonnie asked, cautiously.

Matt was about to answer her but someone else beat him to the punch. "The voices of the dead," Sheila Bennett said from the doorway.

Both Bonnie and Matt looked up, pulling apart as their eyes fell on Bonnie's grandmother standing just inside the room. Bonnie blushed but was surprised to find that her Grams didn't seem at all fazed by the sight of her and Matt in bed together. "Good morning, Grams," Bonnie smiled hesitantly. A part of her had thought that she had been dreaming the whole thing, from her Grams being there to Jeremy and Anna, but as it turned out it had been no dream at all. But the dream she had experience, made her blush even harder.

"Good morning, baby," Sheila said. She looked from them to Bonnie's bedroom window, watching as the rain poured outside. "Funny," Sheila commented, "The sky was clear just a moment ago. Wonder where all the rain came from." Her tone suggested that she already knew.

Matt and Bonnie shared a look.

"Get up and come and eat breakfast," Sheila ordered, "We got a lot of work to do and not much time to do it in."

Bonnie nodded and she and Matt climbed out of bed. Bonnie's eyes drifted to the window and she watched the water cascade down the glass. She wondered as the rain continued, was it her that was responsible, was it Matt, or had it been both of them.

 **:::**

A week later even with the guidance of both Sheila Bennett and (though he was reluctant to accept it) his mother as well, Matt still hadn't gotten the whole magic thing. In fact the only thing that Matt Donovan liked about magic was the fact that it was bringing him closer to Bonnie Bennett.

It was an odd thing really. Before while Matt knew what Bonnie was he had never really taken any particular interest in that part of her life, even if he knew that it was that part of her life that saved them all time and time again. Perhaps because he had never really saw Bonnie as a witch, he liked to think of the people in his life in normal terms. Yet, now that he had his own powers it made him feel closer to her.

They hadn't been to school at all in the time since they had learned about Matt's powers and the incident with Jeremy and Anna had happened. Matt didn't think it was a good idea, after what he had done to Damon, to be around people until he learned some measure of control. Who knew what would happen if someone pissed him off? Besides Jeremy was still on his shit list for hurting Bonnie and so he knew it wouldn't take much other than the sight of him to provoke him.

Bonnie had stayed with him and worked with him during the time, her days divided in between Matt and her Grams. The first couple of days Bonnie had been closed off and then there were times that she would stare off into space and Matt knew that she was thinking about Jeremy. But the more spells they did together the more Bonnie seemed to come back to life again, it was odd, the more they used their powers together the closer they became and there was something inexplicable about the whole thing, a sort of connection that was forming that seemed to be invigorating to them both.

The dreams persisted but they had made some sort of mutual unspoken agreement not to mention them while they were awake in terms of their content. Sometimes the dreams were individual and sometimes they were shared. Most of the time they ended in some kind of physical contact. Kissing. Touching. But whatever tension they caused Matt was willing to ignore for the time being as Bonnie was still getting over breakup.

Still, Matt couldn't really feel any real difference in between how it had been before and how it was now in their relationship unless there was a spell involved. He could sense her powers in a way that he hadn't been able to before and when they did a spell together there was a thrumming in his pulse and a tingling sensation on his skin. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, and was quickly becoming addicting. It was starting to happen almost every time he touched her in fact and much to the amusement of her Grams and his mother it was becoming harder and harder for Matt to keep his hands off of her.

Matt sat down on the edge of his bed, grimoire in his lap, his eyes squinting at the tiny scratched print on the yellowed page. He was wearing a sweatpants and a tank top as Bonnie was continuously stealing his t-shirts, though he didn't really mind. She was lying next to where he sat, wearing one of his shirts even in that moment as she took notes from Emily's journal.

Bonnie had only been to her own house a hand full of times to grab books and clothes since they started working with Matt's powers. She was in his room so much it was starting to smell like her, vanilla and lily, not that he minded much. Besides, since she had been hanging around, Matt had become a lot cleaner.

"I don't want to go back to school tomorrow," Bonnie sighed, "Everyone will probably give me those pathetic sympathy filled looks. They probably think I am at home, not showering, eating ice cream, and crying over Jeremy surrounded by tissues and watching old romance movies."

Matt laughed as he flipped the page. "Well not everyone thinks that," Matt said, "Just the people who know you guys broke up." He had gone to work out of necessity even though school had temporarily taken a back seat and Caroline among others had expressed concern over Bonnie almost daily.

Matt had told them not to worry, but that had made Caroline and Elena worry about why Bonnie was keeping in touch with Matt and not them and then he had been forced to deal with questions about whether or not she was mad at them. Particularly Elena who had been determined not to take sides when it came to Bonnie and her brother.

"Come on," Matt said, when Bonnie didn't laugh, "Lighten up. We both know you're pretty much over it. I mean you cried for two days and yeah you maybe ate a bunch of ice cream on the second but you're already starting to get back to your old self. No romance movies necessary. I mean look how long it took me to get over Elena, you have gone through the break up bullshit in record breaking time, Bon."

Bonnie looked up at him raising an eyebrow. "When did you get over Elena?" She asked. She was joking, mostly. A part of her had thought he was still pining but that was mostly because she hadn't spent all that much time with him lately prior to senior prank night, especially since she had been away all summer. Well that and because Matt being Matt was nice and still managed to be friends with his exes so it was sometimes hard to tell whether or not he was showing them care because it was who he was or because there were still feelings there. "I'm starting to think that Gilberts should come with caution tape wrapped around them," Bonnie said, "Or like a parental advisory or something."

Matt shook his head. "Are these warnings because they break hearts or because they attract death?" He asked.

Bonnie shrugged. "Both," she laughed.

It was funny to her how it had only taken a few days away from Jeremy to put their relationship into perspective. Jeremy hadn't been over Vicki when he had taken up with Anna and he hadn't been over Anna when he had taken to chasing after Bonnie. Jeremy couldn't handle being alone it seemed. It had been the opposite for her.

She had been tired of being alone and doing everything on her own. So it made sense that she would fall for someone who showed genuine concern for her wellbeing and seemed to actually care about her.

While Bonnie was sure they had loved each other, and even with what had happened Jeremy had been safe as far as first loves went, still the relationship had been flawed from the beginning. And while she still loved him, it was in a different way than before.

Her romantic feelings for him were fading and she wondered if they should've remained just friends as she was sure that a friendship between them now would take a lot of time. Still she was grateful to him for showing her even for a short time that she deserved to have someone that was willing to be there for her, even if he claimed that he had always loved another person while he had been doing it.

She was certain that Matt was the reason that she was able to have such clarity and sort through her feelings so fast. Things were always clear when they were together. But it wasn't just that. It wasn't just a matter of him being there for her or her being there for him anymore, they were connected, deeply. She could feel that, could sense it, and so could her powers. A part of the reason that she didn't want to go back to school was because she didn't want the outside world creeping into the world they had created together.

Ever since Bonnie had found out about her powers she had wanted someone to teach her and guide her, to learn about herself and her heritage. Not only that but Bonnie had wanted someone to learn and grow with. Someone who could understand her love and her hate of what she was at the same time. Someone who could understand what a burden and gift having powers could be. Now with Grams back she had her teacher and with Matt she had someone who understood. It was selfish but she wanted to keep what she had now away from everyone else. She didn't want the connection she was forming with Matt to be tainted.

Matt leaned down and kissed the top of her head, breaking into her thoughts. He didn't like it when she thought too much, it usually led to her getting depressed and moody.

He was pretty sure that she was scared that once they were around the others again that they would lose the closeness that they had formed. That with everyone else around to distract them and vie for their attention that they would drift apart. But Matt wasn't going to let that happen. She was his wife after all, and he called her that often in his head jokingly, though in reality he was beginning to like the idea more and more with each day that passed.

"You won't have to worry about school with me there," Matt said, his concern evident, "So stop. I'll be with you most of the day, and when I'm not with you I'll be texting you, and when I'm not texting you I'll be thinking about you. By the time the day is over you'll be sick of me."

Bonnie smiled up at him before she laid her head on his knee. "Oh please," she laughed, "I'll never get sick of you."

Matt didn't bother to contradict her because he knew she was telling the truth.

 **:::**

Caroline Forbes was annoyed. Her best friend hadn't answered her phone for a week. She hadn't been home every time Caroline had stopped by. She was relying on Matt for information about her and even worse she, Tyler (mostly because it was upsetting Caroline), and Damon (mostly because the ghosts were still roaming) of all people seemed to be the only ones worried about Bonnie.

Everyone else was preoccupied. Elena was worried but despite having supposedly given up on Stefan, she was working on bringing him back to his old self with the ghost of his best friend Lexi when she wasn't at school. Jeremy was "secretly" running around town with Anna. Most people knew that he and Bonnie had broken up and with him going around grinning all the damn time it was clear to the student body that he had found someone else already even if no one knew who it was.

Caroline sighed as she got out of her car and walked toward where Tyler was waiting for her in front of his car so that they could walk into school together. She suspected that, like the week before, Bonnie would be missing in action. However, she was surprised to find she was wrong.

As she stopped in front on Tyler she frowned when she realized that he wasn't paying attention to her but something over her shoulder. "Well, _that's_ new," he smirked.

Caroline's eyes narrowed as she turned, knowing she would kill her boyfriend if he was referring to anything Rebekah related. She was confused when she saw Matt who was standing next to the passenger's side of his truck, but then surprised as she watched him help Bonnie out of it.

Her relief at seeing Bonnie in one piece was palpable, but she stopped short when she realized that Bonnie was wearing one of Matt's long sleeved t-shirts under her linen jacket. While ordinarily Caroline might had approved of the ensemble as Bonnie actually looked cute, Bonnie missing for a week and showing up to school wearing Matt's clothes was just too much for Caroline not to ask questions. Well, that and she was Caroline, so questions were inevitable.

She didn't appear to be visibly upset despite the fact that she had suspected that Bonnie had been mopping around over Jeremy even though Matt had told her otherwise. But she wasn't looking like she had just been through a bad break up at all. No bags under her eyes. In fact her hair and makeup were immaculate. And showing up to school in another guys shirt was a huge power move, or would've been on anyone but Bonnie was well above passive aggressive behavior and was likely just wearing it because it was comfortable.

But still everyone would talk and want Caroline to tell what she knew because nothing on the romantic front was supposed to happen with any of her friends without Caroline's direct knowledge. But Caroline didn't really know what was going on. And even if Caroline would never actually spill anything to their peers who would be fishing for information she felt affronted that Bonnie had not called her to gossip or ask for relationship advice if for no other reason.

"See," Tyler said from behind her as Matt and Bonnie walked toward them, "You were worried for nothing. Though, I'm still wondering why Matt showed up for work but not school all last week. But they're both in one piece. So you can stop working yourself up over nothing now. She's not in the corner crying over Gilbert contemplating running away from town forever. She actually looks kind of happy."

"But she's wearing Matt's shirt and they're _holding hands_ ," Caroline protested. Tyler just shrugged when she turned on him and Caroline sighed. Considering how they had gotten together she didn't know why his lack of reaction even surprised her.

Caroline turned as she heard footsteps approach. "Hey, Care," Bonnie smiled when she and Matt stopped in front of her.

" _Hey, Care_?" Caroline hissed, "That's all you have to say? Do you know how worried I was? There are ghosts running around here some of them vengeful and after the whole Jeremy fiasco how could I _not be_ worried? Come on, Bonnie, you miss school and don't contact me for a week and then you show up smiling like nothing happened wearing Matt's clothes?"

Bonnie sighed. "I told you she'd notice the shirt," she said, turning to Matt. She didn't seem at all surprised or bothered by Caroline's ranting. She was used to it after all.

Matt nodded as he looked down at her. "Yeah," he teased, "And I told you to call her if you wanted to avoid the interrogation."

"I know," Bonnie laughed, "Why can't I just listen to you?"

"Exactly," Matt said. Caroline and Tyler watched as he let go of Bonnie's hand only to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her into his side. Caroline's eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

Tyler looked down at Caroline and didn't know whether to feel sorry for her or laugh when he saw the baffled look on her face. Though he was sure she was more confused about her not being the first to know about every development of whatever was going on with Matt and Bonnie as of late. Tyler shook his head. He knew she at least had suspected something. He was pretty sure he wasn't the only one that had seen this one coming, at least on Matt's part.

Matt had been all over Jeremy all summer about keeping in touch with Bonnie, often going into rants about her virtues and then after what had happened on senior prank night, Tyler was pretty sure that Matt had some sort of feelings there. Then after Caroline had told him about Bonnie helping Matt with the Vicki situation Tyler had pretty much chalked it up to being a done deal. When Matt had basically spent the last week at work threatening for poison Jeremy's food if he ever brought Anna into Mystic Grill Tyler was basically waiting on Matt to make the official couple announcement and start with the "we" couples speak. "Would you guys please take pity on her and tell her where you've been?" He asked looking in between Matt and Bonnie. "If you don't do it soon her head might explode and I like my girlfriend intact thanks."

Bonnie sighed resignedly and then nodded. "Alright," she said her face and tone serious, "I'll tell you. Matt he…declared his love for me. It was so romantic Care, just like in the movies. So when he asked me to marry him how could I say no? We ended up at the justice of the peace, his mother was our witness. You are looking at the new Mrs. Donovan. We missed school because we wanted to have our own little honeymoon even though we couldn't really go anywhere, and I've been moving my things into Matt's house. The only reason Matt went to work was because he wanted to provide for me. He said I was his family now and he wanted to be a good husband. I feel so lucky." When Caroline only blinked at her looking even more confused Bonnie could no longer hold in her laughter.

"First of all," Caroline said, not looking at all amused, "Don't even _joke_ about getting married without _me_ planning the wedding. And second, tell me where the hell you were before I am forced to kill you." She was torn between wanting to know where Bonnie had been and being happy that the girl seemed to be in a good mood instead of pining after Jeremy as she had suspected.

"Hey," Matt said, his tone warning, "Back up off my wife."

When Matt and Tyler started laughing and Caroline began to turn red Bonnie took pity on her. "Okay," she said, "I'm _sorry._ I'm _really_ sorry didn't call you but I've just been spending time with my Grams and helping Matt with his… _problem_."

"It's okay," Matt told her, "Tyler knows." He and Tyler had mended the fences for the most part. Really it was just in time as he was sure that in the wake of what had happened between Jeremy and Bonnie, whatever friendship that Matt was forming with the younger Gilbert, was over.

"Oh," Bonnie nodded, "Okay then. Well, we didn't want a repeat of the Damon incident and Grams didn't think Matt should go to school until he had things under control. The only reason he went to work was because, well, we wanted to test his control and we knew that he would interact with less people for a lower amount of time."

"So you haven't been home or at school all week because you were with Matt," Caroline stated, something clicking into place in her head when Bonnie nodded, "And you're wearing his shirt because you ran out of clothes?"

"Nope," Bonnie shrugged, "It's just comfortable." And it smelled like him which was comforting, she had used his shampoo that morning for the exact same reason, even though most of her belongings were at his house, as she had practically moved in, even though she had been joking about the whole marriage thing.

"You done interrogating my wife?" Matt asked, "Because we having some explaining and kissing up to do to our teachers?"

"Sure," Caroline said. Though, Matt seemed to be joking there was something almost sincere in his tone when he said "wife".

"Alright, Mrs. Donovan," he said, looking down at Bonnie, "Let's get you to class."

Bonnie laughed shaking her head. He was having too much fun with her fake marriage joke. "Is this going to be a thing now?" Bonnie asked one eyebrow arched up in amusement.

"Yes, it is," Matt laughed pulling her into his side and smiling brightly as she wrapped her arms around his middle and tucked her head under his chin. He looked back to Tyler and Caroline, giving them a wink. "We'll see you guys later," he said.

They watched as Bonnie and Matt walked away. "Was that couple speak, just now?" Caroline asked referring to the "we".

Tyler nodded. "It doesn't seem like they realize it yet but they're _definitely_ a thing," he stated.

"No," Caroline objected, "Bonnie is the one that doesn't realize it. Matt knows." Tyler thought back over the conversation and recent events and he had to agree.

 **:::**

Caroline sat next to Bonnie in a booth at Mystic Grill after school. They had found out from Elena that Jeremy had ditched school to hang out with Anna continuing his downward spiral since his breakup with Bonnie. Bonnie hadn't seemed bothered by it though, it seemed while she wished that Jeremy wasn't acting out, the Anna part hadn't surprised or fazed her.

Jeremy had gotten sloppy with the whole Anna thing in Bonnie's absence and though Bonnie seemed to accept the situation, Caroline was glad that she had yet to encounter Jeremy. Though, Jeremy being absent meant that he wasn't aware that Bonnie was back out in the land of the living, and undead, and ghosts, which could present a problem.

But for now Bonnie seemed to be content with sipping her chocolate milkshake and watching Matt bus tables. "Were you guys able to get the school work you missed?" Caroline asked, gaining Bonnie's attention.

Bonnie nodded, as she turned to her friend. "Yeah," she said, "It wasn't all that much. Matt's mom picked up most of it during the week so we're actually not very behind. She's different now. Nice. Sober. It's weird. But Matt seems happy. Wary but happy. I think she likes me which is weirder."

Caroline shook her head. "That's not weird," she said, "You're a mother's dream. You come from a good family. You don't look down on people even though Damon thinks you're judgmental, its actually more you being protective of the people you care about because you know what vampires and the like are capable of and you know you have morals. You're actually very accepting, and even though half this town thinks that the Donovans are trash you've never judged them. You are a good person, you've saved this town more times that anyone can count. Do I really need to go on?"

"Please don't," Bonnie laughed, becoming uncomfortable, "I'm just glad that she is at least trying, for Matt's sake. I mean she's all the family he has left. I just don't want him to lose anyone else."

"Well," Caroline said, stealing a French fry from Bonnie's plate, "If all else fails he'll still have his wife right."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure," she said looking down at her plate.

" _So_ ," Caroline said, her tone leading as she looked at Bonnie, "What's with you and Matt anyway? Is it just you helping him with his death magic or is it something else?"

Bonnie raised a brow at her. "Something else like what?" she asked, confused, "I feel more connected to him now if that's what you mean. I mean, we both have powers so I finally have someone I'm close to that understands. Speaking of which we wanted to know if you and Tyler wanted to come over later a watch a movie or something. We wanted to take a break from the whole death magic thing."

Matt had promised her happy and normal and he seemed hell bent on delivering both. He was doing a good job as far as Bonnie was concerned. She was smiling more than she had in months and even with her break up so fresh she barely thought about Jeremy if no one brought him up, and when she did the raw ache that she had felt the night she had lost him was completely absent.

"Come over where?" Caroline asked. She decided not to comment on the couple speak as Bonnie was obviously not read to face certain things yet. There was Matt's house and Bonnie's house. She needed some clarification.

"Oh," Bonnie frowned, "Matt's house. I've been staying there and Grams has too so it's kind of like we live there almost. It's nice, better than staying in my big house all alone with my dad out of town, anyway. You know?"

Caroline nodded. Again she resisted the urge to comment on Bonnie's use of "we" just like Matt and to say anything about how her practically living in the Donovan house wasn't helping her "friend" case either. Bonnie was thinking about her own family crap now and that was Caroline's fault. "Tyler and I would love to come over," Caroline said returning to the original subject. Tyler had been hanging with Mason as of late but Caroline had felt safe enough to speak for them both.

"Good," Bonnie smiled, "So what would we watch. Matt wants something scary but I've had enough of things that go bump in the night."

Caroline laughed, and they began to discuss movie prospects. However, they were finding it hard to come up with something that could please both them and Matt and Tyler. Though, Caroline was pretty sure that both boys would go along with anything they chose.

Bonnie was so involved with the conversation that she didn't notice when Jeremy and Anna walked in. Caroline did notice however, and had to roll her eyes. It was a lucky thing no one really remembered Anna so at the very least no one was asking questions about Jeremy walking around town with a corpse. Still Caroline kept Bonnie focused on their conversation as to not disturb Bonnie's bubbly state.

 **:::**

Jeremy Gilbert had found a booth for himself and Anna in the corner when he spotted Bonnie and Caroline sitting on the opposite side of the diner. Anna's gaze followed his line of vision. "Maybe we should go," she said once she spotted his ex-girlfriend.

Jeremy shook his head. "Why should we hide?" he asked, "Its not like she doesn't know about you. Besides, she's the one who broke up with me."

Anna frowned but nodded. She had meant what she had told him, she hadn't wanted to hurt Bonnie. She just couldn't deal with the solitude. But now that she had found her mother, she was still unable to crossover, none of them were, not yet. So she planned on spending as much time with Jeremy as she was still able to.

Jeremy looked up in time to see Matt walk past their table. He could've waited on them but he had chosen to bypass them in favor of checking on Bonnie and Caroline instead. He couldn't say that he was surprised. Matt had been Bonnie's friend first and he knew what it was like to get his heart broken. Jeremy knew that was what he had done to Bonnie, broken her heart.

Bonnie didn't seem very heart broken however, as she laughed with Caroline about something. It had been a week, and she had been absent from school and hadn't been hanging with her friends. So maybe she had cried all her tears in private.

Jeremy continued to watch as Matt left Bonnie's table. "Jeremy," Anna said, regaining his attention, "Are you listening to me?"

Jeremy sighed as he turned back to Anna. "I'm sorry," he said, "I just got a little distracted." Anna nodded attempting to brush it off.

As the two began to talk Matt walked back to Bonnie's table, pointedly ignoring Jeremy as he motioned for him to come over and take his and Anna's orders. Jeremy worked there, if he wanted to get his new ghostly girlfriend some food Matt was sure that he could figure it out for himself. If he hadn't gained some measure of control over his powers, Matt would have sucked the soul right out of Jeremy's body, he knew how to do that now.

Matt smiled at Bonnie as he reached her table, glad she hadn't seen Jeremy yet. He placed the strawberry milkshake Caroline had asked for in front of her. "A milkshake for Miss Forbes," he said theatrically, as he turned a placed a plate in front of Bonnie, "And a brownie for Mrs. Donovan. Don't worry about your bill ladies, it's on the house."

"Thank you, Matt," Bonnie laughed.

"That's _some_ husband you got there, Bonnie," Caroline winked.

Bonnie was about to reply when Matt suddenly doubled over clutching his head. Bonnie frowned immediately standing.

The voices were back full force. But there was one, accented and female, that was saying his name. He could hear her clearer than the others, over the many voices that seemed to all demand different things at once. She only said his name.

Bonnie hugged Matt tightly, running her hands up and down his back until the voices subsided. There was no stopping the voices as they were a part of the territory when it came to his powers, so she was doing the only thing that she could do. Bonnie knew that things had quieted when Matt breathed out his relief. "You okay?" Bonnie asked.

"You're here," Matt answered his hands framing her face, "I'm fine."

Bonnie closed her eyes her arms tightening around him as he kissed her forehead. She hummed as his hands found her hair.

Caroline smiled and shook her head as she watched them. She knew for a fact that Matt wasn't all that big on public displays of affection, yet he seemed fine nuzzling his friend's neck and playing in her hair while he was on the clock at work. She would have to enlist Tyler's help at getting Matt and Bonnie to stop dancing around whatever it was that was going on between them.

"Well that was fast?" A voice said causing Matt and Bonnie to break a part.

Matt looked up and rolled his eyes he saw Jeremy standing from the table where he and Anna were sitting. He looked down at Bonnie and noticed that she looked more angry than saddened or upset by Jeremy's presence.

"Do you want me to take care of this?" Matt asked, still keeping his hands on her, anchoring her with his touch.

Bonnie shook her head. "I'll be fine," Bonnie assured him, "You'd better get back to work before you get fired."

"Nah," Matt shook his head, "This place would fall apart without me. You sure you'll be okay?"

Bonnie nodded. She smiled at him as she slowly pulled away from him. Matt reluctantly walked away from her but she noticed that he stayed rather close.

Bonnie sighed as she turned to Jeremy as he approached her. "Hi, Jeremy," she said. She was surprised to find that in facing him the only thing she really felt was anger and disappointment, and a vague sense of loss, not for their relationship but for the kind of person he had been.

"Bonnie," Jeremy greeted, "So you and Matt are a thing now?"

Bonnie gave him skeptical look and then laughed. "If we are then at least I waited until after we broke up unlike you," she said. She knew she was being a little petty but she felt that she had earned the right to be.

"Is that what this is about?" Jeremy asked, "You're using Matt to get back at me because of Anna? You're better than that Bonnie."

"Yeah," Bonnie replied, "I am. And not that it's any of your business but Matt and I are friends. You know what we were before all this happened? It's bad enough that you cheated, and you can't give me enough respect to wait a little while before bringing Anna out in public, but now you're accusing me of using my friends to get back at you. You're not worth the effort Jeremy, and even if you were I would never do that, let alone to someone as good as Matt."

"Is that why you were cooking his breakfast and risking your life to save him while we were together? Because he's so _good?_ " Jeremy asked, his mind suddenly remembering moments that had happened just before Bonnie broke up with him.

"Yeah," Bonnie said, "It is. But Jeremy if you want to talk about actions before our breakup then you should look in the mirror, and if you want someone to blame then you should do the exact same thing. At the end of the day you are the one that chose a ghost over me, if you're unhappy with that decision then that's your problem not mine." Bonnie turned on him and looked at Caroline. "I'm ready to go if you are," she said.

Caroline nodded, standing. "Fine with me," she said, smiling at Bonnie in approval, "We have movies to pick out. We should say bye to _Matt_ before we go."

Bonnie nodded as she gathered her things. Jeremy was still talking but she ignored him as she walked over to where Matt was waiting at the counter.

Jeremy gave up and turned back to the table that he had been sharing with Anna to find that she was already gone.

 **:::**

Tyler Lockwood sat in an armchair in Matt Donovan's living room as Caroline sat in his lap. Matt was in the kitchen making popcorn and Bonnie was upstairs fishing around for some romantic comedy that Tyler was sure neither he or Matt would be paying any attention to.

"I think we are going to have to intervene," Caroline said, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Huh?" Tyler asked. He had been busy thinking about what a relief it was for them to be doing something normal for a change.

"With Matt and Bonnie," she said, "They're obviously developing feelings for each other and I think that they should face them. We have to help them figure things out."

" _Or_ ," Tyler sighed, "We could leave them alone and let things develop in their own time. You know _naturally_."

Caroline sighed. "That'll take _forever_ ," she protested, "Believe me. You don't know Bonnie like I know Bonnie. She'll never own up to it, especially after dealing with Jeremy."

Tyler shook his head. "Exactly," Tyler said, "She and Jeremy broke up a week ago, Care. Do you really think it's a good idea for her to jump into something with Matt if she isn't over it?"

But that was the thing, Caroline was sure that she was over it, at least for the most part. If the way she was with Matt was any indication Bonnie was over it enough to start developing feelings for their friend.

"They're just being there for each other right now," Tyler said, "That's how we started and we're together now. I mean they're actually in a better position than us. Matt is single and with Jeremy out of the picture there aren't any third parties involved. So everything will be fine just let them _be_ alright. You said it yourself, he's different then he was with you and Elena, there's been PDA and they're not even a thing yet."

"I guess so," Caroline agreed reluctantly, "But I am giving them a month before I take things into my own hands."

"I love you," Tyler said, "And I know that you're only getting involved because you care so much, but some things just don't need your interference. Trust me."

Caroline was about to reply when Bonnie came barreling down the stairs. She had changed from one of Matt's shirts to another, this on flannel, and a pair of his sweatpants, her hair pulled up. Tyler looked at Bonnie and then gave Caroline a pointed look as if to say, "I told you so," as Bonnie started the movie.

"Matt," Bonnie called into the kitchen as she plopped down onto the couch, "How long does it take to make popcorn?"

Matt appeared a moment later with two bowls. He handed one to Caroline. "It wouldn't have taken so long if _someone_ didn't ask for extra butter," he said.

Bonnie stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just a slowpoke," she complained.

Matt laid across the couch, his head resting on Bonnie's lap, as he balanced their popcorn bowl on his stomach. "I wouldn't have married you if I had known that you were such a nag," Matt muttered. Bonnie smacked the side of his head he winced. "Ow," he pouted, "I'm kidding."

Bonnie huffed crossing her arms over her chest. "If you say so," she said looking straight ahead.

"Come on, Bon," Matt pressed, "Don't be mad. You know I love you."

Bonnie just barely hid her smile as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she grumbled, as she reached for the popcorn.

Matt moved the bowl out of her reach. "Not until you forgive me," he teased. Bonnie bit her lips to keep from laughing. "Bon," Matt sang, "Bon- _nie_. _Mrs. Donovan_." Matt was pretty sure that he would get shit later from both Tyler and Caroline for flirting with Bonnie right in front of them, (which admittedly was exactly what he was doing), but he didn't really care. Bonnie was smiling and truth be told Matt was kind of testing the waters so to speak. The way he saw it, he couldn't very well ask her to marry him one day if he couldn't manage flirting.

"Fine I forgive you," Bonnie sighed, "Now give me some popcorn."

Matt reached into the bowl and grabbed a piece of popcorn, holding it to Bonnie's lips. "Say _ahhh_ ," he ordered.

Bonnie shook her head but opened her mouth anyway, eating the popcorn from his hands. "You're such an asshole," Bonnie laughed, as she chewed.

"Yeah," he nodded, "But you love me."

"I never said I didn't love you," Bonnie said, looking toward the television, "I said you were an asshole."

Tyler and Caroline watched Matt watch Bonnie instead of the movie. It seemed both Matt and Bonnie had forgotten that they were even there.

"Are you still worried?" Tyler whispered into Caroline's ear, eyebrow raised.

Caroline shook her head. "Not even a little," she said with a smile, as she turned and looked at the television.

 **:::**

The next day Bonnie sat across from her grandmother and Kelly Donovan at Matt's kitchen table while Matt was at work. Sheila placed a cup of tea in front of her but Bonnie ignored it. "Are you sure that we can't do anything about the voices?" Bonnie asked, looking in between them, "They're only getting worse. This morning he looked like he was about to rip his hair out. He said that there is a voice, a female, that it's louder and clearer than the others."

Kelly frowned as she considered Bonnie's words. "If it had gotten that bad then why wouldn't he tell me?"

"Considering your history and how long you've been gone you're lucky he even speaks to you, let alone tells you anything," Bonnie said, wondering why the woman even felt that Matt would go to her after everything she had put him through.

"Bonnie," Sheila said her tone warning.

Sighing Bonnie looked Kelly in the eyes. "I'm sorry," she stated, "I'm just worried about Matt. That's all."

Kelly nodded. She had figured as much, and it wasn't as if Bonnie wasn't telling the truth. "The voices are the call from the other side," she explained, "They won't stop. Even if he answers there will always been someone or something else on the other side calling to him. They want to communicate with something with power, something that can help them with unfinished business or maybe something that can bring them back. Eventually, he'll have the power to block them out once he gains more control."

"How can I help?" Bonnie asked, looking in between the two women.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Sheila told her, "Everything will come right in due time. Like with all magic, he simply has to learn to use and control it. The same with you. It'll be fine. Your presence will keep him grounded until he can do it on his own, and after."

Bonnie frowned. "Why is that exactly?" she asked, "Why do I feel so connected to him all of sudden. My powers and his…they're intertwined somehow I can feel it."

"You draw from life," Sheila said, "He draws from death. You're two sides of the same coin."

Bonnie ran a hand through her hair. "You keep saying that," she said, "But it doesn't really _mean_ anything to me. I don't understand what exactly that means for us."

"You will," Sheila said, "And when you do, we'll tell you what you need to know."

 **:::**

Bonnie Bennett flipped through the spell book in her lap and sighed. It was an odd thing. There were some spells Matt couldn't manage on his own, some that Bonnie still couldn't get the hang of, but every time that they tried a spell together they did it perfectly. Bonnie wasn't really sure why that was and though she was sure that either Sheila or Kelly knew, neither was telling them much about whatever connection they shared. "Two sides of the same coin," was all that they kept saying.

Matt and Bonnie were sitting on the steps outside of the school. It was their lunchtime and most if not all of the other students were inside, in the cafeteria or in class. Bonnie felt that it was safe to work on things with the absence of others. Since there was school and work and football and cheerleading practice to deal with now, they had to fit in the magic whenever they could.

"I think that we should see how powerful you are," Bonnie said, "Or maybe how powerful we are together. It could tell us something. Lead us in the right direction, I think. I mean it's one thing doing spells together but drawing from each other's magic is different."  
"How do we do that?" Matt asked, running a hand through his hair. He didn't particularly like the idea of testing their limits as it seemed that together they didn't have any. It scared him as he wasn't used to having powers at all.

"Channeling," Bonnie said, thinking of the one and only time she had done it with Luka Martin. Another person that she had trusted that had ended up disappointing her. Bonnie shook her head and stood, ignoring the dark turn of her thoughts.

"How do we do that?" Matt asked, standing as well.

"I've only done it once," she said as she reached up and took off her necklace, "It might be different with you. You don't draw from life like me, you draw from death. We might even clash. It could be dangerous."

"Then why are we doing this again?" Matt asked, taking the necklace as she handed it to him. It wasn't going to be worth it if she or someone else got hurt. They could find other ways to gain information.

"Just shut up and give me your watch," Bonnie ordered, "If it gets out of hand then we'll stop."

Matt took off his watch and reluctantly handed it to her. "If you say so," he said, clearly skeptical.

"I'm your wife, remember?" Bonnie said as she took his watch and clasped in her hands, "You're not supposed to question me. You just say 'yes dear' and do what I say." She had decided to embrace the joke since she had been the one who had started it to begin with, even if sometimes Matt seemed like he was being serious.

Matt grinned. "Yes dear," he said, even knowing that his easy agreement would likely come back to bite him in the ass later.  
"Thank you," Bonnie smiled, "Now just hold onto my necklace and concentrate. Focus on me and my powers. Try to push your powers toward me."

Matt nodded, as Bonnie closed her eyes. He watched her openly now that she wasn't able to watch him. He had always known that she was beautiful, but it seemed that every day he spent in her company he found something new that he liked about her. He wondered if it was because he had seen where there future led or because she was Bonnie.

When nothing happened Bonnie peeked open one of her eyes. "Come on, Matt," she sighed, "Concentrate. _Please_."

Matt nodded. "Sorry," he said, "Alright. I'm concentrating." Matt held onto Bonnie's necklace and closed his eyes. When doing a spell he usually went through the motions. Mostly because he hadn't wanted the powers to begin with. He had never actively sought them out, never concentrated on them, but for Bonnie's sake he would try.

Matt almost lost concentration as a surge of power shot through him suddenly. He gasped as the wind picked up and the skies opened up letting rain pelt down on them both. "Bonnie?" Matt shouted over the sudden heavy rain.

"Keep concentrating," Bonnie yelled back, "It's okay."

Matt wasn't so sure but he kept concentrating. The wind picked up speed, the rain fell, and then the earth began to shake beneath their feet. Matt was frightened but at the same time he was exhilarated. He could feel Bonnie, it was as if her very essence thrummed through his veins and he flesh prickled with goose bumps and anticipation the longer it lasted.

Matt's eyes opened once more and he could barely see Bonnie through the rain, but he could tell she was looking at him just as he was looking at her. The dream that they had shared a week ago came to mind and being unable to stop himself Matt asked the same question he had then. "Doesn't it bother you? The rain?"

Bonnie shook her head, smiling. "I can't feel it," she said, finally understanding the dream, "Just you."

She wasn't just reciting lines from her dream, she was telling the truth. Never had she felt anything so strongly, never had she felt so connected to someone. It was all consuming and all encompassing. It was something that Bonnie could never have fathomed feeling before that moment. They were the same, yet different, and still they were one. She didn't know how to explain it really, but it was there and she knew that she didn't want to ever go back to a time that it hadn't been there.  
Matt studied her face for a moment and when he eyes told him what he needed to know he leaned forward. Their lips had barely touched when lightning struck the ground behind them. Matt pulled back, his concentration breaking and slowly the skies began to clear. "What _was_ that?" Matt asked as he looked at the charred earth, where the lightning had hit.

"That was us," Bonnie whispered, shivering slightly as she could suddenly feel the chill against her damp skin, "We're kind of incredible."

Matt smiled as he took her face in his hands. He leaned forward until their foreheads touched ignoring the uncomfortable dampness of his clothes, and the students he could see in his peripheral vision looking out at them through classroom windows. He brought his lips down and kissed Bonnie gently but his lips lingered in the promise of more, later. "Yeah," he breathed, as he pulled back, "We are."


	4. Part Four: Haunt

**Title:** The Bell It Tolls For Thee: The Second Life of Matt Donovan

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** Matt Donavon has always wondered about his place in the world of the supernatural, when trauma and a near death experience awakens something dark inside of him he finds that place with the help of one Bonnie Bennett…

 **Genre:** AU/Supernatural

 **Pairings:** Bonnie/Matt, Tyler/Caroline, Jeremy/Anna, Kelly/Klaus, Elijah/Elena, Damon/Katherine, Stefan/Rebekah, etc.

 **Warnings:** Violence, Language, Mild-Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

 **Part Four: Haunt**

Niklaus Mikaelson had not been back in Mystic Falls long, but still he knew that something was amiss. While he had begun to create the army that he was aiming for, he hadn't gotten as many hybrids made as he had wanted because his sister had contacted him about there being ghosts haunting Mystic Falls.

Klaus didn't particularly care about the fact that the ghosts were there. The problem was that they seemed to be targeting the one thing that he needed in order to keep creating his hybrids, Elena Gilbert.

While the Bennett witch was apparently working to get rid of them, her methods weren't very effective and Klaus knew exactly why. Death magic was needed in order to solve problems that involved the dead and Bennett witches did not practice death magic. Their magic was tied to nature, to the living. Death magic was much darker and linked to the dead.

The dead that now walked alongside the living thanks to the witch who didn't know what she was doing. The ghosts foothold on the physical world was getting stronger which meant that it would become easier and easier for them to target Miss Gilbert, or worse target Klaus and his hybrids. For Klaus knew who was truly behind the attacks. Knew who wanted him destroyed more than anyone, his own mother, Esther.

Esther's power was weakening, however, it had to be if she was commissioning others to do her dirty work. That meant that the connection that Ayanna had once formed between his mother and the Bennett line had somehow been broken. That was a good thing, because the power that Bonnie Bennett possessed alone was a threat to him, let alone if it were combined with the remaining power that his mother had left.

But Esther being weaker did not mean that she was powerless. She was trapped on the other side for now but the clock was ticking. The longer the door between the two worlds remained open, the stronger her connection to the physical world would get and soon his mother would be able to return herself to her own body and finish the job she had started by going after him.

Then there was the issue that Mikael was still out there somewhere unknown as well. There was too much at stake and too little time to do what needed to be done.

Klaus had to think of something drastic so that he could move forward in the creation of his army. He had to find a way to close the door to the other side before Esther found a way to get beyond it. He would need a witch. He would need a witch who knew death magic, a witch that could close the door that had been opened and banish his mother to the other side.

Who knew how many allies that Esther now had? It was time for Klaus to start making allies of his own. He had come too far to lose everything now.

 **:::**

Bonnie Bennett sifted through the stack of books that littered the basement of her grandmother's house. There was one particular spell that she was looking for that she wanted Matt to try. Had her grandmother been home, she would have asked the woman for help, but she had wondered off somewhere with Kelly Donovan. Matt was at work and so that meant that Bonnie was on her own in her search.

She sighed running a hand through her hair. She was close to giving up and starting her search again the next day. She was just about to turn to leave the basement when she felt a hand on her shoulder. As she turned, Bonnie was surprised to see the very dead, Luka Martin standing behind her.

"Hello Bonnie," Luka said, with a disarming smile.

Bonnie took a step away from him. She had played a part in his death and she knew that there was a chance that his spirit would be vengeful in his intentions toward her. "What do you want?" Bonnie asked, "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to help you," Luka said, "The other side is a very dark and lonely place. It gives you time to think and time to watch. There are those who find peace on the other side. Those that get to move on to something between. Those that don't have to deal with the listlessness, the loneliness. I'm not one of them. I have unfinished business. I can't find peace until I make up for using you the way that I did."

Bonnie frowned as she eyed him. He looked much the same as he did before his death. "I understand why you did what you did," she told him, "You were trying to save your sister. It wasn't your fault that you didn't know that she didn't really need to be saved."

"Even so…I…I liked you Bonnie. I liked you a lot and I think that if things were different we could've had something. No matter how hard I try to move on I can't seem to let go of that. So I want to do the right thing you." He lifted a hand and held up the very book that she had been looking for. He held it out to her and she hesitated before she took it from him. "Will you let me do that?"

Bonnie clutched the book in her hands and considered him. She had her Grams, at least for now and she had, though she still wasn't sure yet how much help that the woman could really be, Kelly Donovan. She couldn't say that she would really in need of his help. Still she didn't like the fact that he was unable to find peace because of her. He had paid for his actions with his death and she didn't see the point of him still having to suffer in the afterlife.

"Alright," Bonnie agreed, "I'll let you help. I…like you too…a lot and after everything I think that you deserve to find peace." He smiled at her again she cautiously returned it, silently hoping that she was not making a mistake.

Bonnie walked around and began to move toward the stairs. He followed a moment later, grabbing a book as he did so.

"You said that you've been keeping an eye on things. How much do you know exactly?" Bonnie looked over her shoulder as she waited for him to answer her question.

"Everything," Luka shrugged, "There's not really much else left to do on the other side." They walked up the stairs in silence, side by side. "I was glad you that that you can see me now. I was beginning to feel kind of like a pervert."

"Well it's not like you watched me while I was showering or anything weird like that, right?" Bonnie laughed. However, when she didn't get any answered, she stopped midstride and glared at him. "You didn't did you?"

Luka grinned, shaking his head. "Of course not," he said, "I would never do that unless you gave me permission." Bonnie made a scoffing noise and Luka nudged her playfully in the side. "You're not giving me permission are you?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "No," she said, all joking leaving her tone, "So don't get any ideas." She opened the basement door and was about to walk out of it when Luka touched her shoulder.

While she knew that he could touch her, that the ghosts had access to the physical world now, it still made her jump. "Admit it," he said, "You missed me. Just a little."

Bonnie took a step away from him and watched as his hand fell to the side. "Maybe," she shrugged, "I missed who I thought you were. Who part of me still thinks that you are. But I still don't trust you."

Luka nodded in understanding. "Then I'll just have to work on that."

 **:::**

Matt Donovan was annoyed. While he was getting used to his powers, it was never really fun for him unless he was practicing using them with Bonnie. Everything, in fact seemed to be better with Bonnie at his side, especially in the context of the last few days.

However, Bonnie had left his house in search of some spell book and so Matt was forced to work alone with his mother. Admittedly, Kelly Donovan was trying. Trying to be helpful and supportive. Trying to be patient as they worked through certain spells. But her trying did not negate the fact that she had left him before. That she had abandon him and his sister. That had been selfish and self-destructive.

He was thinking that in all actuality she could still be that person somewhere under the surface. She could still be that reckless party girl with an inability to stay sober. He was waiting on the bottom to fall out of their relationship again, because it always did.

He watched as his mother flipped through the pages of some book and half listened as she attempted to explain to him the difference between blood magic and soul based magic. "Maybe we should just wait until Bonnie gets back," he said, after a few moments of inattention, "She has a way of explaining things and most of the time I get what she's saying, you know? It's easier with her."

Kelly frowned as she closed the book. "You don't have to sugarcoat things for me Matt," she sighed, "You'd rather work with Bonnie. I know your reasons and I understand. I do. But there's a lot she doesn't know and you are going to need my help on this whether you like it or not. I'm not going to force your hand but, if you let me help you then we can get rid of this ghost problem that much sooner."

Matt nodded. Still he didn't know that he wanted to get rid of the ghosts all that quickly. The ghosts being able to inhabit the physical world meant that Bonnie had an excuse to be constantly in his company while searching for a solution. Not only that but it also meant that Bonnie got to see her grandmother again and he knew that she needed that. Knew that she had never gotten closure. Then there was the fact that he had even gotten to see Vicki again for a little while, and while it had ended badly, at least there was some closure to be found for him as well.

There had been the incident with Jeremy and Anna but in truth, though Bonnie had been emotionally hurt by it, it had opened the door for them being a possibility so Matt couldn't say that he was too upset by it since Bonnie was alright with the situation and moving on from it.

As far as he could tell, the only person who had been physical harmed by the ghosts so far was Damon and in truth he had had that coming for a while now. Besides Matt didn't like Damon, and Damon's temporary discomfort at the hands of Mason Lockwood, was really nothing compared to what most of Matt's actual friends had been going through since the arrival of the Salvatore brothers two years ago.

"Maybe the ghosts aren't as big a problem as we think," Matt said, "I mean they haven't harmed anyone yet. If anything is giving me problems then it's these powers I have now. I mean…these voices that I keep hearing…I just wish that it would stop. But then I think about Bonnie…about my connection to her and I can deal with it. Because without these powers, we wouldn't be this close. I don't want to ever feel what it's like not to be close to her. It isn't just because of my issues with you that makes me want Bonnie to be the one that I go through this with. It's because of Bonnie. Because I need her. She's the best friend I've ever had. Even more than that really. I lo…I care about her a lot."

Kelly reached out and patted Matt on the hand. "I know that you do," she said, her eyes seeming to read what Matt wasn't saying as well as what he was, "Like I said before, you two are going to need each other. We can pick things up when she gets back here. In the meantime I'm going to go and get some lunch. Do you want anything?"

Matt shook his head as he sat back against the couch. He watched as his mother nodded and then waved, before leaving. He sighed in relief as he heard the door close behind her.

Closing his eyes, Matt tried to think of something besides magic and ghosts. However, as soon as his eyes shut he was hit with the sound of the voices that that had been plaguing him ever since his powers had surfaced.

They came all at once. Louder than he had ever heard them. Then in the sudden silence, there was one voice alone. Smooth. Enticing. Female.

 _Matt opened his eyes to find that he was no longer sitting in his living room. There were trees all around him and yet everything seemed dull and gray. A heaviness seemed to settle on his shoulders and he felt more alone than he had ever felt in his entire life._

 _This place, was not meant for the living he knew. This was the realm of the dead. This was the other side._

 _The sound of an iron gate opening drew his attention and he turned and watched as a tall woman with long sandy blonde hair and blue eyes walked toward him. She was wearing a dress that reminded him of the paintings he had seen depicting the Middle Ages in his history book and soft features seemed familiar although he could not place them._

 _She smiled at him in a way that might have been disarming had Matt not be terrified. If he was on the other side, then how had he gotten there? How could he get back? Was there a way back?_

 _"Do not be afraid," the woman told him as she stopped a few feet away from him. His eyes narrowed as they met hers and held. "I am coming to you as a friend just as I came to your sister."_

 _Matt frowned, taking a step away from her. "You're the witch that sent Vicki after Elena? Who the hell are you? And how do you expect me to believe that you're a friend when you almost got one of my best friends killed?"_

 _"It was a means to an end," she said, "I was attempting to act for the greater good. Much like your friend Bonnie."_

 _"What do you want with Bonnie?" Matt spat, "Better yet, who cares what you want just stay the hell away from her." It was bad enough that this woman had forced him to watch his sister suffer, he'd be damned if he stood silently by as she targeted Bonnie._

 _"I am not after the Bennett girl," the woman said, "Her line has been of much help to me these last few years but your connection to her has broken my connection to her line. Which is why I am forced to ask others to do what I know needs to be done. Which is the same reason that I am coming to you for assistance now."_

 _Matt blinked at her before shaking his head. "Look, just tell me how the hell I get out of here. I don't want anything to do with you or your twisted plans."_

 _"That is just the thing, Mr. Donovan," the witch smiled, "We both want the same things. We want to close the connection between the ghosts and the physical world and we want Klaus dead."_

 _"The only thing I want is to get out of here," Matt responded, "Even if we do have the same end goals I don't trust you. I don't know you. And the only witch who I would ever be willing to work with is in the physical world waiting for me."_

 _Matt began to turn and walk away but was stopped as the witch's hand closed into a fist. The moment her hand shut Matt felt this throat close cutting off his air supply. He grabbed at his throat but he didn't know how to fight back or even if he could._

 _"You will stay where you are and you will listen to me." The witch stepped forward, until she was only inches away from Matt's face, her eyes darkening with rage. "I can be a very kind person Mr. Donovan," she whispered, "But I have a nasty temper when I am provoked."_

 _Matt's eyes widened as her other hand shot out prepared to attack him as well._

 _"Matt," a familiar disembodied voice said from somewhere above him, "Matt you have to wake up." Bonnie. He closed his eyes at the sound of her voice. "Matt, please, come back to me."_

 _Matt felt his throat open up and his breath came back to him. The witch began to back away from him and Matt wasn't sure but he thought she looked scared._

 _"Matt!" The skies above them opened and rain began to fall. The witch began to scream as if she were in pain and Matt watched as she vanished and the world around him seemed to melt under the weight of the rain._

 _Matt closed his eyes and let the rain and Bonnie's voice wash over him as he once again heard the sound of the gate. This time it closed._

When Matt opened his eyes he was back in his living room laying on his back on the couch. Bonnie was hovering over him, her hands framing his face and her green eyes full of concern. He reached up to her as she realized that he was indeed awake. Her hand grabbed his before he could reach her and placed a kiss in the center of his palm.

"Matt," she whispered, "I was so scared. You were out for so long." She rested her forehead against his chest a moment. As he began to sit up, she pulled away, the concern never leaving her eyes as she helped him.

"It didn't feel that long to me," Matt said, as he sat upright. Bonnie sat down next to him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Where I was," he frowned, "Time didn't really seem to

"What do you mean where you were?" Bonnie asked, wrapping her arms around his middle, "What happened?"

"I think…I think that I was on the other side," he explained, "The witch that took advantage of Vicki was trying to talk me into helping her. She mentioned you and I got angry and was about to walk away. Then she attacked me….but then I heard your voice and she looked afraid and she stopped. That's when I woke up."

Bonnie frowned as she considered him. "Did you find out who she was? Her name? And what do you mean she looked afraid? Afraid of me?"

Matt opened his mouth to answer but stopped as a familiar voice cut him off. "Afraid of both of you," Luka Martin, answered, drawing Matt's eyes to him, "Afraid of what your power could do together. A lot of people are afraid of you actually. Your bond, it'll be stronger than any other supernatural bond there is when it's all said and done."

Matt glared at Luka. He hadn't known him well when he was alive but he had heard about him using Bonnie and so he couldn't say that he was too happy to see who he assumed was his ghost. "What is he doing here?" Matt asked.

"He's actually the reason why I came over." Bonnie unwrapped herself from around Matt and stood. "Luka came to me and told me that because of his regrets about what happened between us he hasn't been able to find peace," Bonnie sighed, "He wants to help us and for now I think that we should trust him."

Bonnie had immediately wanted to inform Matt about the Luka development. She didn't want to move forward with Luka's help if Matt wasn't fine with it. However, once she had gotten to Matt's house she had found him lying still on the couch, not breathing and his pulse nonexistent. If Luka hadn't thought to check his eyes, and noticed they had been black signaling the death magic, Bonnie might have thought Matt was dead.

"We don't need his help," Matt frowned, as he watched the other boy take Bonnie's hand, "We have my mom and we have Miss Sheila."

Bonnie snatched her hand away from Luka's and looked at the ghost oddly before turning back to Matt. "He's good with magic and right now we need all of the help we can get," she shrugged, "This is just on a trial basis. The minute he screws up he's out."

Matt opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Luka again. "I won't screw up," Luka declared, "I promise you that."

As Bonnie looked up at Luka and nodded, Matt didn't like the look that he saw in the other boy's eyes as he looked back down at her.

 **:::**

Tyler Lockwood sat down across from Matt Donovan as his friend entered his living room. He had heard from Caroline that Bonnie and Matt hadn't been as close lately. That Luka Martin's ghost was around nearly every moment that Bonnie and Matt were together and it had Matt on edge. So of course Caroline considered it Tyler's job to talk to Matt about it.

The problem was that Matt was too busy brooding about the situation to talk. He had even began to avoid Bonnie which wasn't good for either of them and it was doing nothing to solve the problem of the ghosts.

"Didn't you say that the witch that tried to get Vick to kill Elena was trying to communicate with you?" Tyler asked, after a while, "Don't you think that it would make more since for you to be around Bonnie than avoid her? This Luka guy said that she was afraid of the connection between you two. Whoever she is. So you should be with Bonnie. Not here pouting because of some ghost."

Matt shook his head. "The witch is involved with the Originals somehow," Matt said, "That's all we know really. But I don't care about her. I just…when I'm with Bonnie and Luka sometimes I feel like a third wheel. They both have more experience with this magic thing than I do and they have this connection of their own. I know things ended badly between them before but he seems serious about making things up to her you know. I don't really know what to do."

Tyler sighed as he patted Matt on the back. "Come one man," he said, "This Luka guy is a ghost. He's dead. You're alive. There isn't really competition."

"Anna was dead when Jeremy cheated on her with Bonnie," Matt pointed out, "And I know that Bonnie isn't like Jeremy but it's not like Bonnie and I are together either. I mean we've kind of been flirting around the issue I guess and we kissed that one time but that's it. Bonnie is single and free to be with whoever she wants to be with ghost or whoever."

"Fine Bonnie is single but you obviously don't want her to be," Tyler frowned, "You have feelings for her. That's obvious. You want to be with her. That's even more obvious. Instead sitting around waiting for some ghost who probably isn't trustworthy to take advantage of her again why not make your move. Show Bonnie how you feel and show this guy that no matter how hard he tries, he can't come in between you two."

"What if she doesn't want me?" Matt asked. He had been left by Elena. He and Caroline hadn't been able to work. Even with seeing his future with Bonnie he was still unsure. Just because he had seen them together in old age didn't mean that that future was concrete that it was permanent. Still he wanted it to be. He wanted Bonnie to be it for him. Wanted her to be the one her grew old with. He wasn't sure when it had happened but he couldn't see himself with anyone else.

"Yeah, well, what if she does?" Tyler shrugged.

Matt nodded, knowing that no matter the outcome, he had to try. If he didn't try now then he would only regret it later. s around nearly every moment that Bonnie and Matt were together and it had Matt on edge. so hatt f need." not to make

 **:::**

Damon Salvatore was getting tired of the ghosts that had all but taken over Mystic Falls. He was being accosted by one of his victims that had been trapped on the other side almost daily. That was the reason that he was now in front of Bonnie Bennett's door prepared to knock and demand answers from the girl.

Normally when things needed to be taken care of, Bonnie was more than proficient and a solution was found in a prompt manner but lately the witch had been lagging and Damon was the one that was paying the price.

He pounded on her door and waited for an answer. Nothing. Frowning Damon began to bang again, his patience wearing thin. When there was still no answer, Damon pulled out his cell phone and was ready to dial the witch when he heard her car pulling into the driveway.

Turning around, Damon walked across the porch and down the stairs as Bonnie pulled up and cut off the engine to her car. He glared at the witch as she got out of the car and gave him a questioning look.

"What are you doing here Damon?" Bonnie asked. She was in no mood to deal with him. In between Matt being weird and distant and Luka popping up again being friendlier than necessary she had had it with the opposite sex.

She was more than sure that Luka had an ulterior motive and the more time she spent with him the more she realized that motive was her. She didn't know what he expected. He was dead and this whole ghost thing was temporary at best. And even if he wasn't. Bonnie wasn't interested. Being on the outs with Matt made it even more clear to her that she had some sort of feelings for him beyond friendship. Not that they could talk about it with Matt avoiding her and Luka popping up on a whim.

She was no longer sure that Luka actually wanted to help them as if she was his motive then it would make sense for him to be doing whatever it took for them not to make progress with the Matt's powers and banishing the ghost back to the other side and they weren't making any progress.

"Oh I wanted to come over and hang out," Damon's sarcastic voice broke into Bonnie's thoughts as she stopped in front of him, "You know catch up. I thought that maybe we could talk about boys. Our college plans. Or better yet why the hell there are still ghosts walking around town."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I told you I'm handling it," she spat, "It's going to take more than me to get rid of them so until Matt gets a handle on his powers there's nothing we can do." She moved to walk around him, but he grabbed her arm before she could. "Let go of me," she warned.

"Listen witchy," Damon said, ignoring the lethal look in her eyes as he knew that lately she was more bark than she was bite, "I suggest you figure out another way or speed things along because I promise you that if I get attacked by one more ghost then the next person that gets hurt won't be me."

"Are you threatening me?" Bonnie asked, shaking her arm out of his grip.

Damon raised a brow at her. "Take it however you want," he said, "All I know is that if I see another-" Damon was cut off as suddenly someone appeared behind him and snapped his neck.

Bonnie screamed and took a step back as she watched Damon's body hit the ground with a hard thud.

"God I hate that asshole," a familiar voice said and Bonnie shook her head in disbelief.

"Ben?!" Bonnie exclaimed as she looked up, her eyes meeting the dead vampire's eyes as he grinned at her. Once that grin had inspired something akin to butterflies fluttering Bonnie's stomach but in that moment she was simply confused and taken aback.

"Hey, Bonnie," he said, "Long time no see." He took a step toward her and Bonnie took another step away from him. "Before you freak out you should know that I'm not here in search of ghostly revenge or anything. I just thought I might help you get away from this jackass for old time's sake."

 _Unbelievable_ , Bonnie thought. It was weird enough having Jeremy cheat on her with a ghost. Now Bonnie was finding that the men who she had been interested in once were treating her better when they were dead than when they had been alive. "Let me guess," Bonnie said, "You haven't been able to find peace on the other side and the only way you can move on is if you help me in my time of need."

Ben laughed shake his head. "Nah," he said, "I'm not as dramatic as, Martin. If you really want to know. It's boring as hell on the other side and I figured I might as well take advantage of the foothold to the physical world while I can."

"Right," Bonnie shrugged. She should have known that Ben would have had more selfish motives.

"So I'm going to the Grille to grab a drink you want to join me?" Ben asked, "We could reminisce, have a few laughs."

Bonnie laughed until she realized that he was being serious. "I'll pass but thanks for the save," she said, heading in the direction of her house. She knew that Damon would come around soon and if she was in her house he wouldn't be able to get in as she had never invited him in even in all the time she had known him.

"Your loss," Ben said, "I'll be around if you change your mind."

Bonnie watched as Ben vanished and for the first time Bonnie was just as keen as Damon to get rid of the ghosts that were loitering around town.

 **:::**

Matt walked through Bonnie's house after having let himself in. He was determined to take Tyler's advice and put his feelings out on the table. He wouldn't say that he wasn't nervous but he knew that things would only get worse if he kept his feelings to himself and allowed more distance to grow in between them.

He could feel Bonnie before he saw her. He was becoming more attuned to her with each day. Even his avoidance of her hadn't really changed the fact.

He walked into the living room and watched her a moment. She was sitting on the couch, her head bent over a grimoire. She looked beautiful to him, even like this. Doing the something as simple as reading, and wearing sweatpants and one of the t-shirts that she had stolen from him.

He moved forward and her head popped up as the floor creaked beneath his feet. "Good it's you," Bonnie said, closing the grimoire in her lap, "I thought it was Ben or Luka."

Matt eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Ben?" he asked, "As in Ben McKittrick?"

Bonnie nodded, tossing the book next to her on the couch. She watched as Matt scowled. "He popped up earlier. Damon was here demanding that I speed things up with the ghost thing and Ben kind of saved me from him. Damon threatened me. Can you believe that?"

"Yeah," Matt said, as he sat down next to her, "I can actually." He looked down at the table and then stared at his hands. "It's a good thing Ben was there though," he muttered, "Going from kidnapping to saving the day. How very chivalrous of him."

Bonnie noted his tone was more biting than usual. "Matt, what's wrong? You've been acting weird lately. Did I do something to make you mad?"

Matt wanted to kick himself. He shouldn't have been taking his anger and insecurities out on her. She didn't seemed to be any more pleased with the fact that the ghosts were infesting the town than he was. "No," he said, shaking his head, "You didn't do anything wrong Bonnie. I'm just kind of getting tired of these ghosts that's all."

Bonnie had to agree with him. "Me too. But you don't have to disappear every time Luka pops up. If he's getting on your nerves then just tell me. I'll make him work with Grams or something. I miss it just being the two of us anyway."

Matt's expression perked up a bit at the news. "You do?" He asked.

"Or course," Bonnie said, taking his hand in hers, "So stop avoiding me okay. I don't like it when you're not close. I worry about you. Especially after what happened when that witch the other day."

"So you're not interested in Luka?" Matt clarified.

"No," Bonnie laughed, "I kind of got over that after what happened with him and his dad. And if I hadn't then him dying would have taken care of any residual feelings that I had. Besides there was Jeremy in the interim so that ship has definitely sailed." Bonnie was surprised by the look of relief on Matt's face. "You didn't think I was interested in him did you?"

Matt shrugged. "Kind of," he said, "I mean you two have a lot in common with the whole magic thing and it kind of seemed like if things hadn't gone wrong then you two would have been something more than you were."

"We probably would have," Bonnie answered honestly, "But like I said that ship has sailed and unlike Jeremy I don't make a habit out of chasing ghosts."

"Good," Matt began hesitantly, "Because you know if it were up to me then I would be the only one that you were interested in." As Bonnie's eyes widened he decided to forge ahead. "I know that this is kind of fast and you and Jeremy just broke up not too long ago but…I don't really care. I've never felt about anyone the way that I feel about you and I just…I want to be with you, Bon. And I'm not just talking about this magic thing or whatever this connection is that everyone keeps saying that we have but no one wants to explain, I'm talking about you and me being together. I want everyone to know and I don't want anyone or anything getting in the way. I mean…if that's what you want too?"

Bonnie surprised Matt by grabbing the sides of his face with her hands and pulling him down until their lips met. She kissed him gently, her lips soft as the moved against his own. His tongue sweep out almost immediately and brushed over her bottom lip causing her to open her mouth to him.

He kissed her the way that he kissed her in his dreams. As if he were breathing her in. As if she were all the air that needed.

Bonnie pulled away first. She smiled as her eyes met his, her breathing heavy. "I want to be with you too," she said, "Not anyone else on this side or the other side. Just you. Okay?" She was glad to finally be able to admit it to him and to herself. Glad that they could finally clear the air.

"Okay," Matt nodded, "Whatever you say, Mrs. Donovan." Bonnie grinned as Matt leaned down to kiss her again.


End file.
